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As ChatGPT Turns Three, Study Ties Heavy Use to Lower Brain Engagement

Universities start tightening rules following evidence that AI assistance reduces cognitive effort.

Overview

  • OpenAI-linked reports put weekly use around 800 million users with more than 18 billion queries, with 73% of June 2025 requests tied to work tasks.
  • An MIT EEG study of 54 participants found writing with ChatGPT showed the weakest neural connectivity compared with unaided writing, though researchers note the small sample and single-task limits.
  • French universities and grandes écoles are rolling out charters, mandatory AI-use disclosures, detection thresholds treating excess AI text as plagiarism, and greater weight on oral assessments.
  • The Shift Project estimates roughly 0.5–2 grams of CO2 per request and warns European data-center electricity demand linked to AI could double by 2030.
  • Seven Californian families have filed lawsuits alleging ChatGPT contributed to users’ suicides, adding legal pressure on OpenAI.