ChatGPT "destroys" the human brain! New study publishes disturbing results

ChatGPT has made Artificial Intelligence part of everyday life for many people, who use it to create presentations at various work meetings, do school assignments, draft essays or rewrite their CVs. But has this progressed much and how does it affect us?

Ever since OpenAI released the chatbot, people have been wary of its capabilities and what it means for the future. A new study at MIT's Media Lab has found some scary information about how far ChatGPT could affect us.

The research began by dividing 54 people between the ages of 18 and 39 in Boston into three groups and asking them to write essays over a four-month period. One group used ChatGPT, another used the Google search engine, and the third was not allowed to use either of them but instead wrote the essays themselves.

The researchers then hooked up the groups to an electroencephalogram (EEG) to measure and record electrical activity in their brains. Of the three groups, ChatGPT users were found to exhibit the lowest level of brain engagement and also  “performed poorly on neural, linguistic and behavioral levels.”

The study also found that users became increasingly lazy about essays, which led to a result of copying text directly from ChatGPT by the end of the test. When ChatGPT users were asked to start writing essays using only their brain power, they “showed reduced alpha and beta connectivity, indicating insufficient engagement.”

So, what does this mean for us?

Lead author Nataliya Kosmyna showed that long-term brain development can be negatively affected by AI use.

"What really motivated me to publish it now before waiting for a full peer review is that I'm afraid that in 6-8 months, there will be some policymaker who will decide, 'let's do the GPT garden.' I think that would be absolutely bad and harmful," she said, according to TIME. "The developing brain is at the highest risk."

EEGs showed that the AI ​​group showed lower executive control and less attention until the third essay, when they would essentially let ChatGPT do all the work for them. Conversely, people who were unable to use any tools to help them with their essays showed higher neural connectivity, particularly in the areas of creative ideation, working memory, and semantic processing. They were also more engaged and curious.

The Google Search Group also displayed active brain function, leaving only the AI ​​users to perform poorly across the board. They also couldn't remember what the essay was about.

Regarding how it can affect students and young minds, they stated that:

Education on how we use these tools and promoting the fact that your brain needs to develop in a more analog way is absolutely essential. We need to have active, synchronized legislation and, most importantly, test these tools before we put them into practice.

When people online learned about the research results, they were critical of AI as a whole and those who use it.