Experts warn AI is making your brain work less

Are these AI prompts damaging your thinking skills?20 December 2025ShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleGeorge Sandemanyacobchuk/GettyMIT researchers used electroencephalography to record brain activity while people used generative AIWhat was the last thing you asked an AI chatbot to do for you?Maybe you asked it for an essay structure to help answer a tricky question, provide an insightful analysis of a chunky data set, or to check if your cover letter matches the job description.Some experts worry that outsourcing these kinds of tasks means your brain is working less - and could even be harming your critical thinking and problem-solving skills.Earlier this year, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) published a study showing that people who used ChatGPT to write essays showed less activity in brain networks associated with cognitive processing while undertaking the exercise.What is AI, how does it work and why are some people concerned about it?Don't blindly trust what AI tells you, says Google's Sundar PichaiMicrosoft boss troubled by rise in reports of 'AI psychosis'These people also couldn't quote from their essays as easily as those in the study who didn't use an AI chatbot. The researchers said their study demonstrated "the pressing matter of exploring a possible decrease in learning skills".All 54 participants were recruited from MIT and nearby universities. Their brain activity was recorded using electroencephalography (EEG), which involves electrodes bein...