In a recent LinkedIn post, Andrew Bolis highlights significant findings from an MIT study concerning the cognitive effects of using ChatGPT. Bolis frames the issue around a common experience: the increasing reliance on AI tools for daily tasks and the subsequent difficulty in performing those tasks independently.
According to Bolis, the MIT Media Lab conducted a four-month study involving three groups of individuals performing a writing task. One group wrote without assistance, another used Google Search, and the third utilized ChatGPT. The results, as presented by Bolis, point to potential negative impacts on cognitive functions.
“Most of us have felt it: You start relying on AI for daily work. Then try doing it alone, and it suddenly feels harder.”
Cognitive Impacts of AI Usage
Andrew Bolis emphasizes that the MIT study identified several key areas where ChatGPT use appears to affect cognitive abilities. He details these findings, urging readers to consider the implications for their own work habits.
Memory Impairment
Bolis reports that the study indicated a notable decline in memory recall among ChatGPT users. He states that a significant majority of those using the AI tool struggled to remember sentences they had just written.
“83% of ChatGPT users couldn’t recall a single sentence they had written minutes earlier.”
In contrast, Bolis notes that individuals who completed the writing task without AI assistance demonstrated normal memory retention.
Reduced Brain Connectivity and Learning
Further elaborating on the study’s outcomes, Bolis points out a substantial decrease in brain connectivity observed in ChatGPT users. He explains that this reduction was quite pronounced and persisted even after the individuals ceased using the AI.
Bolis also addresses the impact on learning, noting a decline in mental effort, which is crucial for the learning process. As he puts it, this represents “the price we pay for finishing faster.”
“A 47% drop in brain connectivity was recorded in ChatGPT users. And the effect continued even after they stopped using AI.”
Intentional AI Use as a Solution
Despite the potentially concerning findings, Andrew Bolis offers a path forward, emphasizing that abandoning AI is not necessarily the solution. He relays the study’s suggestion that intentional usage can mitigate these negative effects.
Bolis highlights that users can still achieve strong memory, better brain activity, and high-quality work by adopting a more mindful approach to AI integration. The core recommendation, as shared by Bolis, is to prioritize personal ideation before turning to AI.
AI as an Assistant, Not a Replacement
According to Bolis, the key lies in using AI as a tool for refinement, editing, or expansion, rather than as a primary thinking engine. He draws parallels to other technological advancements that have altered human cognitive processes.
Bolis argues that similar patterns have emerged historically, such as the shift from handwriting to typing, taking photos instead of direct observation, or relying on GPS over self-navigation. In each instance, he suggests, outsourcing cognitive tasks too early can weaken our inherent capabilities.
The simple solution, as presented by Bolis, is intentionality. He encourages individuals to engage their own minds for thinking, learning, and creating, reserving AI assistance for the final stages of polishing the output. Bolis concludes his post with a call to reflection, asking readers about tasks they would never delegate to AI.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Andrew Bolis on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on November 22, 2025 | View original post on LinkedIn →