MIT Study Finds 83% of ChatGPT Users Struggle with Memory Recall

Coin WorldThursday, Jun 19, 2025 2:09 am ET
1min read

Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Media Lab conducted a study involving 54 participants who completed essay writing tasks using three different methods: ChatGPT, search engines, and their own cognitive abilities. The study aimed to assess the impact of AI tools on cognitive functions. In a fourth session, participants who initially used ChatGPT were asked to complete tasks without any tools, while those who relied solely on their brains were asked to use the LLM. The results showed that over 83% of ChatGPT users struggled to recall information from essays they had written just minutes earlier, indicating a significant decline in memory recall.

Alex Vacca, co-founder of a sales tech agency, described the findings as alarming, suggesting that AI tools are not enhancing productivity but rather leading to cognitive bankruptcy. He noted that users tend to forget information quickly because the AI handles the thinking process. The researchers observed that brain connectivity decreased with the level of external support, with the brain-only group showing the strongest neural networks, the search engine group exhibiting intermediate engagement, and the LLM group displaying the weakest overall coupling.

The study utilized electroencephalography (EEG) to measure brain activity and cognitive engagement during the tasks. The findings revealed that repeated reliance on external systems like LLMs can lead to an accumulation of "cognitive debt," which defers mental effort in the short term but results in long-term costs such as diminished critical inquiry, increased vulnerability to manipulation, and decreased creativity. The paper, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, suggests that the use of AI LLMs could negatively impact learning, particularly for younger users. The researchers emphasized the need for longitudinal studies to understand the long-term effects of AI chatbots on the human brain before they are widely accepted as beneficial.

When asked for its thoughts on the study, ChatGPT responded that the research does not indicate that the tool is inherently harmful but rather warns against over-reliance without reflection or effort. The study highlights the importance of balancing AI integration with independent cognitive engagement to mitigate potential risks to learning and critical thinking skills.

Ask Aime: Why Did MIT's Media Lab Study Show 83% of ChatGPT Users Forget Info Within Minutes?