Overview

• EEG scans from 54 participants revealed ChatGPT users exhibited up to 55 percent lower task-related brain connectivity compared to those writing without AI
• The AI-assisted group underperformed at neural, linguistic and behavioral levels and 83 percent could not recall any lines from their own essays
• Essays generated with ChatGPT were more homogeneous and lacked original thought, while unassisted writers produced more creative and diverse content
• Even after switching back to solo writing, former ChatGPT users showed lingering impairments in memory and critical thinking, suggesting accumulated cognitive debt
• A phased integration model that reserves AI assistance for later stages of learning may help preserve students’ independent cognitive engagement