Are these AI prompts damaging your thinking skills? (www.bbc.com)

Recent studies raise concerns about the impact of AI tools, such as ChatGPT, on critical thinking and problem-solving skills among users. Research from MIT suggests that participants who used AI to assist with writing essays showed decreased brain activity linked to cognitive processing and struggled to recall their content, indicating potential cognitive atrophy. Similarly, a study by Carnegie Mellon University and Microsoft found that reliance on AI tools correlated with reduced critical thinking effort among professionals, emphasizing a potential risk of overreliance leading to diminished independent problem-solving abilities. Educators and researchers are advocating for a more nuanced understanding of AI's role in learning. While some students report that AI has helped them enhance skills like creativity and revision, nearly 60% feel it has negatively affected their academic capabilities. Experts, including Prof. Wayne Holmes of UCL, call for more comprehensive research into the long-term effects of AI on education to ensure these tools are used to augment rather than undermine learning. OpenAI’s Jayna Devani highlights the potential for AI to act as an educational tutor rather than a mere answer provider, advocating for a balanced approach that fosters informed usage and critical engagement with technology.