ChatGPT usage linked to cognitive decline, according to MIT research quoted in the Hill

Relying on artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT to write essays may weaken brain function, according to a new study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Media Lab.

The researchers divided participants into three groups: one that used ChatGPT, another that used search engines, and a third group that wrote unaided. Participants were then asked to write essays, while their brain activity was tracked using electroencephalography (EEG).

The findings were clear: those who leaned on ChatGPT—a large language model (LLM)—exhibited the weakest brain connectivity and retained the least information about what they had written.

“Over four months, [large language model] users consistently underperformed at neural, linguistic, and behavioral levels,” the study noted. “These results raise concerns about the long-term educational implications of [LLM] reliance and underscore the need for deeper inquiry into AI's role in learning.”

🧠 According to the researchers, individuals who did not use any external assistance demonstrated the strongest and most distributed neural networks—suggesting deeper cognitive engagement and memory formation.

Memory vs. Convenience

Lead author Nataliya Kosmyna told Time Magazine that although ChatGPT is “efficient and convenient,” users aren’t integrating what they write into their memory systems.

“What really motivated me to put it out now before waiting for a full peer review is that I am afraid in 6–8 months, there will be some policymaker who decides, ‘Let’s do GPT kindergarten,’” Kosmyna said. “I think that would be absolutely bad and detrimental. Developing brains are at the highest risk.”

Kosmyna expressed particular concern about young children, whose brains are still developing and may be especially vulnerable to the long-term effects of AI reliance.

Trump Administration Promotes AI in Schools

Despite the findings, President Donald Trump and his administration appear largely unbothered. In April, Trump signed an executive order aimed at promoting AI integration in American classrooms, further pushing the U.S. toward an education system augmented by artificial intelligence.

🧾 The order encourages schools to adopt AI tools to “enhance educational efficiency and competitiveness.”

The MIT study, however, adds fuel to a growing debate over how AI technologies like ChatGPT should be used in learning—and whether their benefits outweigh the cognitive risks.