Are AI Prompts Weakening Thinking Skills?

A study conducted by MIT found that students who used generative AI tools such as ChatGPT while writing essays showed reduced activity in brain regions linked to cognitive processing. Using EEG monitoring, researchers observed that these participants also struggled more to recall and quote from their own work. The findings suggest a potential decline in learning skills when tasks are heavily outsourced to AI.

A separate study by Carnegie Mellon University and Microsoft revealed that greater confidence in AI tools was associated with reduced critical thinking effort. Similarly, a survey by Oxford University Press found that 60% of students believed AI had negatively affected their school-related skills. At the same time, most students reported that AI helped them develop at least one skill, such as problem-solving or revision.

Experts emphasize that the solution is not banning AI, but using it with guidance and awareness. OpenAI representatives argue that ChatGPT should function as a learning aid rather than a shortcut to answers. Academics caution that improved outputs do not necessarily mean improved understanding, stressing the importance of students grasping how AI systems work and critically evaluating their results.
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