Tag: MIT study

Is Increasing Use of AI Damaging Students’ Learning Ability?

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A split image contrasting two groups of students in a classroom. On the left, a blue-lit side represents "COGNITIVE DECAY" with students passively looking at laptops receiving "EASY ANSWERS." On the right, an orange-lit side represents "CRITICAL THINKING" and "CREATIVITY" with students actively collaborating and working. Image (and typos) generated by Nano Banana.
A critical question posed: Does the growing reliance on AI lead to cognitive decay, or can it be harnessed to foster critical thinking and creativity in students? Image (and typos) generated by Nano Banana.

Source

Radio New Zealand (RNZ) – Nine to Noon

Summary

University of Auckland professor Alex Sims examines whether the growing integration of artificial intelligence in classrooms and lecture halls enhances or impedes student learning. Drawing on findings from an MIT neuroscience study and an Oxford University report, Sims highlights both the cognitive effects of AI use and students’ own accounts of its impact on motivation and understanding. The research suggests that while AI tools can aid efficiency, overreliance may disrupt the brain processes central to deep learning and independent reasoning. The discussion raises questions about how to balance technological innovation with the preservation of critical thinking and sustained attention.

Key Points

  • AI use in education is expanding rapidly across levels and disciplines.
  • MIT research explores how AI affects neural activity linked to learning.
  • Oxford report includes students’ perceptions of AI’s influence on study habits.
  • Benefits include efficiency; risks include reduced cognitive engagement.
  • Experts urge educators to maintain a balance between AI support and active learning.

Keywords

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URL

https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2019010577/is-increasing-use-of-ai-damaging-students-learning-ability

Summary generated by ChatGPT 5

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Will AI Make You Stupid?

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A digital representation of a human brain with glowing teal data streams and circuit-like patterns flowing out from its right side, against a dark, technical background with a subtle digital frame. Image (and typos) generated by Nano Banana.
Exploring the cognitive impact of artificial intelligence: Will reliance on AI enhance our intellect or diminish our critical thinking abilities? Image (and typos) generated by Nano Banana.

Source

The Economist

Summary

A Massachusetts Institute of Technology study has found that students using ChatGPT during essay-writing tasks showed reduced brain activity in areas linked to creativity and attention. Similar research from Microsoft and the SBS Swiss Business School supports the claim that frequent AI use may diminish critical thinking, fostering “cognitive miserliness,” or the tendency to offload mental effort. While experts caution that the evidence is not yet conclusive, they warn that excessive reliance on AI could erode problem-solving and creative skills over time. Historical parallels—such as Socrates’ scepticism about writing—suggest technological tools often reshape, but do not destroy, cognitive abilities. The article concludes that using AI thoughtfully—prompting step by step and reflecting critically—can help preserve intellectual engagement even as automation advances.

Key Points

  • MIT researchers observed reduced creative and attentional brain activity in AI-assisted students.
  • Frequent AI users performed worse on critical-thinking tests in a Swiss study.
  • Over-reliance on AI can create “cognitive offloading” and feedback loops of dependence.
  • Experts urge reflective, guided use—AI as assistant, not replacement.
  • Strategies such as incremental prompting and “cognitive forcing” can sustain mental effort.
  • Evidence remains mixed: AI may change, but not necessarily weaken, human intelligence.

Keywords

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URL

https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2025/07/16/will-ai-make-you-stupid

Summary generated by ChatGPT 5

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