An MIT Media Lab study — widely covered in Danish media — followed 54 people writing essays across four sessions over four months, some with ChatGPT, some with a search engine, some with nothing at all. EEG recordings told a clear story: brain connectivity was widest for those working unaided and weakest for those leaning on the chatbot. The AI users also struggled to quote essays they had ‘written’ minutes earlier.
What is interesting is the trade-off it makes visible. The tool that removes the effort also removes the engagement that effort produces. Convenience and cognition pull against each other: what is easiest to outsource may be exactly what keeps the muscle in shape. The researchers call their own preprint preliminary — but the direction is worth watching.
So…:
Where does making things effortless for your audience quietly rob them of the engagement you want?
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