AI has both negative and positive effects on human minds. Artificial intelligence (AI) is a technology designed to mimic a simulated human intelligence in order to perform really hard tasks and serve human needs or answer questions. AI can make you dumber if you use it as a crutch instead of a tool for growth in learning.
In a study conducted by MIT, a sample of participants were divided into three groups: one group was using ChatGPT, the other group was using the traditional Google, and the last group was using their brains only. The people who used ChatGPT had the lowest brain engagement for the essay and showed decreasing brain activity over time. The ChatGPT participants got lazier over time because all they did was copy and paste the work, there was no critical thinking involved in the process. The results of groups two and three studies showed that they gained new skills and engaged their brains. However, when the brain-only sample group had an opportunity to rewrite their essay with ChatGPT, having not copy-pasted the entire work, they showed higher levels of creativity and stronger arguments while retaining original thinking.
If AI is writing an essay for you, your brain doesn’t engage enough with the information you’re discussing to actually retain any of it or gain any new knowledge. Psychologists are calling this the productive struggle. AI has boosted approximately 7.5% of people’s GPAs. 36% of people believe that their GPA would drop if they lost access to AI. AI is ok to a certain extent, but I wouldn’t rely on it forever or completely or use it on a daily basis in my life. AI affects students’ well being and their mental health in a negative and positive way. Even though AI can offer many benefits, it also raises concerns like loneliness, technostress and reduced face-to-face interactions.
