Does A.I. Make Your Brain Lazy?

By the Editorial Team · Sunday, October 4, 2026

Researchers from the University of California, Irvine, and McGraw Hill found that students increasingly rely on AI tools like ChatGPT for simple questions, leading to improved scores on those problems but worse performance on unaided exams. This suggests AI use may diminish critical thinking and problem-solving skills unless incorporated thoughtfully into learning strategies.

Recent research is exploring the impact of artificial intelligence (A.I.) on human cognition and learning, with studies focusing on whether reliance on A.I. tools might diminish critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, particularly among students.

A collaborative study by researchers from the University of California, Irvine, and the education company McGraw Hill examined data from an online learning platform used between 2015 and the present day. The analysis compared student performance before and after the widespread availability of ChatGPT in late 2022. The researchers categorized test questions into two types: those easily answered by chatbots, primarily text-based problems, and more complex visual, interactive, or multistep problems that challenged A.I. capabilities. The study found that after the introduction of ChatGPT, students spent significantly less time engaging with questions that A.I. could handle, while their scores on these problems improved. However, on proctored exams where A.I. assistance was unavailable, student performance declined compared to the pre-A.I. period.

The findings support concerns that A.I. may encourage students to offload cognitive effort, reducing the depth of their engagement with learning materials. Sina Rismanchian, a Ph.D. candidate at U.C. Irvine and one of the lead authors, noted that A.I. enables students to bypass the process involved in solving complex problems. Complementary research involving adults at multiple institutions found that habitual reliance on A.I. for logical and analytical tasks led participants to give up more readily when faced with challenging questions they might otherwise solve independently. The research suggests that A.I. conditions users to expect immediate answers, undermining the productive struggle essential for long-term skill development.

Cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Adam Green of Georgetown University emphasized that A.I. could “undercut the development of learning how to think,” especially in younger learners by providing an easy alternative to effortful thinking. Green likened the brain’s tendency to conserve energy to evolutionary adaptations for minimizing calorie expenditure, suggesting that humans naturally prefer less cognitively demanding solutions when available.

Despite concerns, some research highlights potential benefits of A.I. when used strategically. A preprint study from Middlebury College, involving over 200 undergraduates, tested the effects of A.I. on writing and exam performance. One group had access to A.I. tools for research and essay writing, while a control group did not. The A.I.-assisted students produced longer and somewhat higher-quality essays and scored better on a proctored multiple-choice exam. When both groups returned a week later to take another exam without assistance, those who had initially used A.I. as a tool to engage with the material, rather than as a shortcut, outperformed others in the study.

Overall, the emerging research indicates that A.I. is changing how people learn and solve problems. Whether these technologies ultimately make users “dumber” may hinge on how A.I. is integrated into educational practices and daily cognitive tasks rather than on the presence of A.I. tools themselves.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.