The expansion of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) has taken over the media these past few years. With software such as Chat GPT and Gemini being able to produce instant essays, images and even conversations with individuals, many have started to wonder what kind of impact it would have on the minds of the younger generation. Previously, one would have to manually search through websites or even physical books to obtain information that they are trying to find. However, this has recently changed as AI started to be integrated into society. The ability of chat bots to generate information at high speeds have changed the way people interact with the media that they consume.
Surveys show that a large number of teenagers have already experimented with AI as a confidant, and although it may help to reduce stress and anxiety, it can also raise concerns about emotional reliance on AI and the substitution of human relationships. Additionally, it poses the question of whether AI is affecting the development of critical thinking skills as well as the ability to process information and learn.
Picture of students (by New Leaders)
The Effect of AI on Education
The use of generative AI has become a tool for many students, aiding their academics as well as providing them with more leisure time when their assignments are completed quicker. Open AI data showed that more than 90% of college students used AI for school work in 2025, a number which dropped abruptly once summer break started.
Along with Chat GPT, study partners such as Medly AI – a study platform designed for secondary and university level students which offers an AI powered tutoring system – has changed the playing field in terms of how students are able to learn, providing the students with personalised instructions and immediate feedback.
However, there are many cases where students have turned to AI to find quick answers or to write their essays or analyses for them. Teachers online have expressed frustrations at students using AI, not in a way to expand their knowledge but to cut corners. This in turn has led to the decline in the skills of many high school students. Recent standardised testing data revealed that the reading skills of American high school seniors are at its worst point in nearly three decades, and a third of the students tested did not possess basic reading or critical thinking skills.
The Oxford Dictionary defines critical thinking to be the process of analysing information in order to make a logical decision about the extent to which you believe something to be true or false. It is a fundamental cognitive skill required for academic success and professional competence. However, there has been a notable increase in the reliance on AI tools for information retrieval and decision-making. Growing evidence shows that the over-reliance on AI can lead to cognitive offloading – the use of external tools to reduce the cognitive load on an individual’s working memory. While this can clear cognitive resources, it may also lead to a decline in cognitive engagement and skill development.
Nataliya Kosmyna, an MIT researcher, notes how quickly people have begun to rely on generative AI. Her colleagues began to employ AI, and the job applications she received started to all have the same pattern. Even in job interviews she noticed that the candidates kept stopping and looking off to the side after she asked them a question, making her wonder whether they were having AI help them, and how whether they truly knew what answers they were giving.
To explore this further, Kosmyna, along with the help of some MIT colleagues, set up an experiment. The study highlighted how the use of large language models (LMMs) have a direct cognitive impact. They conducted a study consisting of 54 participants that were split into 3 groups, where each individual was asked to deliver a highschool-level essay. The first group were given access to LMMs, the second group was asked to use regular search engines without the assistance of AI, and the third group was granted no search resources at all, dubbed the ‘brain only’ group. An EEG was used to record the participants’ brain activity.
The results showed that the ‘brain only’ group demonstrated the highest level of brain activity, the search engine group showed intermediate engagement, and the LMMs group had the lowest brain engagement throughout the study. The LMMs group also reported a lower feeling of satisfaction, most of them stating that they could not remember much of what they had written in their essay, emphasising the need for cognitive engagement and memory.
The Artificial Illusion
There are many benefits to AI in education, as it provides a ‘thinking companion’ and can assist students with many menial tasks or explain concepts to them. Nevertheless, students should learn how to use AI appropriately as it can impact their learning experience and hinder them from obtaining essential skills needed for everyday life.
Written by: Anjitha
Edited by: Sarah
