A new, non-peer-reviewed study from MIT’s Media Lab indicates that using ChatGPT for writing tasks could harm critical thinking and reduce brain engagement. Researchers monitored subjects' brain activity with EEGs as they wrote SAT essays. One group used ChatGPT, another used Google Search, and a third used only their brains, as reported on the Time.

The study found ChatGPT users had the lowest neural engagement and produced essays described as "soulless," often resorting to copy-pasting over time. Conversely, the brain-only and Google Search groups showed higher brain activity linked to creativity and memory. The ChatGPT group also struggled to recall their work, suggesting the information was not integrated into their memory networks.

The lead author released the findings before peer review to urgently highlight concerns that over-reliance on AI for convenience could be detrimental to long-term brain development, especially for younger users.

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