Is AI making us stupid?

In this episode of Science Weekly, Ian Sample and Madeleine Finlay explore the question of whether AI is making humans less intelligent. They discuss an MIT study showing decreased brain activity and memory recall in students using ChatGPT for essay writing, introducing the concept of "cognitive debt." They further examine the broader impact of technology on memory, referencing the "Google effect" or digital amnesia. Featuring insights from cognitive neuroscience professor Sam Gilbert, the discussion covers cognitive offloading, the historical context of technology-related cognitive concerns, and the importance of "desirable difficulty" in learning. The episode concludes by pondering the balance between leveraging AI and maintaining cognitive skills, with a focus on incentivizing oneself to engage in challenging thinking.