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Using AI for tasks may erode intellect in just 10 minutes, study shows

EuroNews · · 395 words · By Anna Desmarais
Educational Psychology AI and cognitive decline
open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.euronews.com/next/2026/04/16/using-ai-for-basic-tasks-damages-a-pers…

psychologyDetected Techniques

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Loaded Language 70% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
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Appeal to Fear 80% confidence
Building support by instilling anxiety or panic in the audience.
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Slippery Slope 80% confidence
Arguing that one event will inevitably lead to extreme consequences without evidence.

fact_checkFact-Check Results

8 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

check_circle Corroborated 4
info Single Source 4
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“Participants who used AI to solve basic math and reading comprehension questions did worse than their peers who did not rely on the technology, a new study found.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results from different news/reporting outlets describe a study involving researchers from Carnegie Mellon, MIT, Oxford, and UCLA stating that using AI chatbots for 10 minutes negatively impacts problem-solving and thinking skills.
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web search NEUTRAL — Using AI chatbots for even just 10 minutes may have a shockingly negative impact on people’s ability to think and problem-solve, according to a new study from researchers at Carnegie Mellon, MIT, Oxfo…
https://wired-com.nproxy.org/story/using-ai-negative-impact-…
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web search NEUTRAL — Math AI uses advanced AI algorithms trained on millions of mathematical problems to ensure high accuracy.Try Math AI Free - The Most Advanced AI Math Solver! Join millions of students using Math AI fo…
https://math-gpt.ai/
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web search NEUTRAL — Dr. Susan Schneider says heavy AI use is degrading her students’ thinking skills. Over four sessions, the participants in the study’s Chat GPT group started to use AI differently. At first, they gener…
https://nypost.com/2025/06/25/tech/educators-warn-that-ai-sh…
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“Using artificial intelligence for basic cognitive tasks can damage a person’s intellectual ability after just 10 minutes, a new study showed.”
CORROBORATED
Two distinct web search results explicitly state that using AI for basic cognitive tasks can damage intellectual ability or have a negative impact on thinking/problem-solving after just 10 minutes.
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web search NEUTRAL — Artificial general intelligence (AGI) is a hypothetical type of artificial intelligence that matches or surpasses human capabilities across virtually all cognitive tasks.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_general_intelligenc…
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web search NEUTRAL — Using artificial intelligence for basic cognitive tasks can damage a person’s intellectual ability after just 10 minutes, a new study showed.Using AI for tasks may erode intellect in just 10 minutes, …
https://www.euronews.com/next/2026/04/16/using-ai-for-basic-…
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web search NEUTRAL — Using AI chatbots for even just 10 minutes may have a shockingly negative impact on people’s ability to think and problem-solve, according to a new study from researchers at Carnegie Mellon, MIT, Oxfo…
https://wired-com.nproxy.org/story/using-ai-negative-impact-…
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“The preprint study asked 1,200 people to complete either 15 fraction math problems or eight basic reading comprehension tasks, with and without AI.”
CORROBORATED
Two independent web search results confirm the specific details of the preprint study: 1,200 participants, 15 fraction math problems or eight reading comprehension tasks, conducted with and without AI.
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web search NEUTRAL — This problem went viral and generated millions of comments on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and social media sites.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URcUvFIUIhQ
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web search NEUTRAL — The preprint study asked 1,200 people to complete either 15 fraction math problems or eight basic reading comprehension tasks, with and without AI. In both experiments, the AI group had access to the …
https://www.euronews.com/next/2026/04/16/using-ai-for-basic-…
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web search NEUTRAL — The preprint study involved 1,200 participants who completed fraction-based math problems or reading comprehension tasks. Some users had access to AI during most of the exercises, while others solved …
https://ctrlf5.software/blog/ai-for-basic-tasks-may-weaken-c…
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“In both experiments, the AI group had access to the technology for most questions but had to answer a few without it.”
SINGLE SOURCE
Only one source (Euronews) explicitly mentions the specific experimental design where the AI group had access for most questions but had to answer a few without it. Other sources mention the study but not this specific detail.
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web search NEUTRAL — Summary: AI acts as a creative teammate in group settings as it does for solo work. Thoughtful facilitation ensures teams leverage AI effectively in workshops and critiques.
https://www.nngroup.com/articles/ai-creative-teammate/
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web search NEUTRAL — Scientific studies examining the impacts of AI are still nascent and developing. A Harvard study from May found that generative AI made people more productive, but less motivated.
https://time.com/7295195/ai-chatgpt-google-learning-school/
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web search NEUTRAL — Careers AI Ethics AI Research. case study. How Heineken embraces video transformation. Create free AI video.It’s one of the most popular AI tools because of its multiple uses, including to help with r…
https://www.synthesia.io/post/ai-tools
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“Those in the AI group were more likely to solve problems correctly at first, but when AI was removed, they got more questions wrong or skipped them entirely.”
SINGLE SOURCE
While the general negative impact of AI is mentioned in the evidence, the specific detail about participants solving more correctly at first but performing worse when AI was removed is not explicitly detailed in the provided search snippets.
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web search NEUTRAL — Putting too much faith in AI would seem especially problematic when the tools may not behave as you expect. Agentic AI systems are particularly unpredictable because they do complex chores independent…
https://wired-com.nproxy.org/story/using-ai-negative-impact-…
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web search NEUTRAL — The study is one more entry in a growing catalogue of unsettling AI capabilities revealed in the past months. In March, researchers at Alibaba claimed to have caught a system they developed – Rome – t…
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/may/07/no-one-ha…
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web search NEUTRAL — We found that: participants who used AI more tended to feel more supported by their AI compared to people whose support came mainly from close friends. the more a participant used AI, the higher their…
https://theconversation.com/1-in-3-people-are-lonely-will-ai…
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“The participants were also less likely to persist with finishing the problems”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence contains definitions of 'participant' but does not contain the specific finding that AI users were less likely to persist in finishing problems.
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web search NEUTRAL — Participants play a role in the unfolding of events. A contestant is a participant on a game show. A football player is a participant in the sport. Someone talking is a participant in a conversation.
https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/participant
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web search NEUTRAL — There are 38 nonvoting participants, including 12 married couples. When only half the word-pair was provided, participants were asked to imagine the second word. Of the 136 participants who completed …
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/parti…
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web search NEUTRAL — One that participates, shares, or takes part in something. adj. Sharing in or taking part; participating. par·tic′i·pance n. American Heritage®...
https://www.thefreedictionary.com/Participants
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“The report follows another study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) that showed those using OpenAI’s ChatGPT to write essays often did not recall or recognise their writing.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm an MIT study regarding ChatGPT and essay writing, specifically noting negative impacts on cognitive engagement, memory recall, and a lack of original thought.
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web search NEUTRAL — A recent study from MIT found that using ChatGPT for essay writing can negatively impact cognitive engagement and memory recall, compared to those who wrote purely from their own brain.
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/science-technology/thinki…
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web search NEUTRAL — This study explores the neural and behavioral consequences of LLM-assisted essay writing. Participants were divided into three groups: LLM, Search Engine, and Brain-only (no tools). Each completed thr…
https://www.media.mit.edu/publications/your-brain-on-chatgpt…
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web search NEUTRAL — The study, from MIT Lab scholars, measured the brain activity of subjects writing SAT essays with and without ChatGPT.The group that wrote essays using ChatGPT all delivered extremely similar essays t…
https://time.com/7295195/ai-chatgpt-google-learning-school/
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“That study said AI causes a phenomenon called “cognitive debt,” which decreases learning outcomes over time.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The term 'cognitive debt' is not explicitly mentioned in the provided snippets, although the general concept of reduced learning outcomes is discussed. However, the claim refers to a specific term from the MIT study. Since the snippets for the MIT study are present but don't explicitly quote 'cognitive debt', it cannot be corroborated by multiple sources here, but it is linked to the study mentioned in claim 6.
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web search NEUTRAL — Since its founding, MIT has been key to helping American science and innovation lead the world. Discoveries that begin here generate jobs and power the economy — and what we create today builds a bett…
https://web.mit.edu/
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web search NEUTRAL — At MIT Admissions, we recruit and enroll a talented and diverse class of undergraduates who will learn to use science, technology, and other areas of scholarship to serve the nation and the world in t…
https://mitadmissions.org/landing/meet-mit/
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web search NEUTRAL — 2 days ago · The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) said Wednesday that research has shrunk by 10 percent in the year following cuts by the Trump administration. “Counting federal and nonfede…
https://thehill.com/homenews/education/5878953-mit-research-…
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.