A new wave of everyday questions directed to AI: “How to keep myself happy?” “What to do when I’m not feeling good?” is signalling a deeper cultural shift. People are increasingly turning to tools like ChatGPT for decisions, emotional guidance, and even self-reflection, raising concerns among researchers about a growing cognitive dependence.

According to a recent MIT study, excessive reliance on AI tools may be slowing the brain’s natural problem-solving processes. Participants who frequently used ChatGPT recorded the lowest levels of brain engagement, underperformed on linguistic and behavioural tasks, and showed signs of declining memory. EEG readings indicated up to 55% reduced prefrontal cortex activity, an area responsible for executive function and critical thinking.

The study observed a steady drop in effort over several months. Many participants began copy-pasting entire AI-generated essays, leading to weaker recall. When asked to reconstruct their earlier work without AI assistance, several could not remember key points and some failed to recognise their own writing.

The trend is growing across age groups, but experts say students may be the most vulnerable. India, one of the world’s largest user bases of ChatGPT, has seen a surge in children turning in assignments completed with AI. While grades appear to improve, actual learning and engagement drop sharply.

Dr. Neetu Tiwari, MBBS, MD (Psychiatry), explains the neurological impact: “The prefrontal cortex develops stronger neural pathways only with active mental effort. When people depend heavily on AI, the brain remains under-stimulated. This phenomenon is called ‘cognitive offloading’.”

Researchers emphasise that the situation is not irreversible. Studies show that combining AI use with reflective thinking, questioning answers, relating them to personal experience, and building independent reasoning can strengthen learning rather than weaken it.

The broader concern lies in long-term developmental impact. One of the authors of the MIT study said she accelerated the paper’s release because she feared a future where schools might adopt “GPT kindergarten”, calling such early exposure “detrimental” to cognitive growth.

Other global studies echo the findings. Overreliance on AI has been linked to increased loneliness, lower motivation, and reduced satisfaction. By contrast, groups using traditional search engines or writing without AI showed stronger brain activity, better memory retention, and a higher sense of ownership of their work.

Experts stress that the solution is not to ban AI but to create healthy usage practices.
“Every technological leap, from calculators to navigation apps, alters the way our minds work,” says Jaspreet Bindra, Co-founder, AI & Beyond. “The challenge is to ensure AI becomes an aid, not a replacement for human thinking.”

As AI becomes woven deeper into everyday life, researchers caution that developing digital guardrails may be essential to protecting the next generation’s cognitive abilities.