Overview

• EEG scans across 32 brain regions revealed ChatGPT users had significantly weaker neural connectivity than those writing unaided, with search engine users displaying intermediate engagement.
• ChatGPT users underperformed in recalling and summarizing their own essays, indicating reduced memory retention and ownership of their work.
• AI-assisted essays were more homogenous and formulaic, while brain-only compositions showed greater originality and diverse vocabulary.
• In a fourth writing session swapping methods, participants originally relying on ChatGPT continued to struggle without the tool, underscoring persistent skill atrophy from cognitive offloading.
• Search engine users maintained higher cognitive engagement and recall than ChatGPT users, suggesting traditional research aids pose fewer learning drawbacks.