ChatGPT processes approximately 2.5 billion prompts every day, a staggering figure that reflects how deeply AI tools have penetrated our daily routines.
But as AI becomes more embedded in our day-to-day workflows, a new study from MIT’s Media Lab raises an important and uncomfortable question: Are we becoming too reliant on AI at the cost of our own cognitive development?
What the MIT Study Found: A Summary
In the study, participants were asked to write several SAT-style essays using one of three methods:
- Without any assistance
- Using Google Search
- Using ChatGPT
Using EEG (Electroencephalogram) scans to monitor brain activity, researchers found that participants using ChatGPT demonstrated:
- The lowest levels of cognitive engagement
- A tendency to copy/paste responses over time
- Essays that were more formulaic and less original
In contrast, those who worked unaided showed greater neural activity related to memory, reasoning, and creative thinking – signs of true learning.
It’s tempting to look at this and conclude that AI tools are “bad for the brain.”
But that’s not the full picture.
In fact, the same study showed that when the brain-only group used ChatGPT after thinking independently, they demonstrated greater neural connectivity. In other words:
When used after thinking, not instead of thinking, ChatGPT can actually boost brain performance.
AI as a Cognitive Partner
This study concludes that how we use AI matters just as much as whether we use it.
Rather than viewing these findings as a warning against AI, they can serve as a guide for more intentional, effective use.
AI is a powerful cognitive tool, but one that should amplifyhuman intelligence, not substitute for it.
At H Connect International, our in-house AI Task Force is set up with the primary goal of increasing AI literacy across the team, and training everyone on how these cognitive tools can amplify human intelligence, rather than act as a substitute
We believe the goal isn’t to resist AI, but to engage with it mindfully.
Here are some practical ways we encourage our teams to do just that when working with LLMs:
1. Start with the original thought
Begin by brainstorming, outlining, or writing a rough draft before turning to AI. This helps strengthen your own reasoning and creativity before refining with external input.
2. Use AI to test assumptions
Instead of simply generating content, use AI to challenge your ideas. Ask it to critique your arguments, present counterpoints, or propose alternative solutions.
3. Interrogate AI outputs
Don’t accept AI responses at face value. Ask follow-up questions, verify sources, and analyse why a certain perspective was generated.
4. Mix human depth with AI scale
Leverage AI to broaden research or explore multiple angles quickly, but always bring personal and objective insights to synthesise the final message.
5. Build cognitive endurance
Rotate between AI-supported and unsupported workflows. The goal is to maintain and grow your own ability to think critically, solve problems, and retain information.
As AI becomes more accessible and integrated into business, it’s up to us, as individuals, teams, and organisations, to determine how we use it.
It’s about building systems where technology supports deeper thinking, not shortcuts around it. In doing so, we can reach its full potential, while continuing to strengthen our own.
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