AI robs us of creativity and impairs critical thinking: What can young people do about it?

Researchers at the MIT Media Lab, which studies the relationship between humans and technology, aimed to provide data on the impact of artificial intelligence on human creativity and critical thinking. As part of their research, they looked at the behavior of 54 male and female volunteers aged 18 to 39. Each of them was asked to write several essays, but not under the same conditions.
“One group wrote papers with the help of ChatGPT, another was helped by Google, and the third group wrote completely independently,” the authors state in the study results.

While they were writing, the participants were monitored via EEG, a device that examines brain waves and can show how a person reacts to various stimuli.

The more we use AI, the lazier our brains become

Research has shown that the brains of those who used generative AI rested the most. Participants had lower attention spans, placed less emphasis on the linguistic aspect of the text, and also suppressed creativity.

The study also found that with each subsequent text they wrote, their brains became lazier. “At these stages, people were no longer using AI as an assistant, but were simply copying and pasting ready-made texts without changing anything,” the researchers said.

The group that was helped by Google fared slightly better. The results showed that their brain activity was much higher while writing. They didn’t just resort to copying texts, but were better able to work with sources, verify them, compare them, and reflect more on their outputs.

The group that worked alone performed best in the study. EEG measurements showed that their brain activity was the highest of all the participants. They were more creative and satisfied with the result they created.

Artificial intelligence is more creative

The MIT Media Lab team wasn’t the first to look at creativity and AI. Psychologists from the University of Arkansas had already shed light on the topic more than a year ago. However, their study wasn’t focused on how AI affects the human brain. Their goal was to investigate whether humans or artificial intelligence can come up with more creative solutions.

As part of the research, 151 people were given several creative tasks. The same tasks were also given to artificial intelligence. “For example, we tasked the participants and the artificial intelligence with thinking about how objects they use every day could be used for a different purpose,” the members of the scientific team explain. They add that the participants’ solutions were very simple and straightforward. While people would use a fork, for example, as a comb, ChatGPT came up with much bolder solutions and a more engaging story.

The research team also focused on the ability to predict hypothetical scenarios, or to connect unrelated images into coherent stories. In all areas, artificial intelligence scored well, surpassing human creativity.

How do young people see it?

Although artificial intelligence is a current phenomenon, less than half of Slovaks have practical experience with its use. According to the latest survey by the Central European Digital Media Observatory from June this year, it is most popular among young people, especially in the 16-24 age group.
Researchers say that most young people use generative artificial intelligence to help with schoolwork, work, and even to translate texts. “The most popular tools are ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini, Canva AI, Midjourney,” they add.