ChatGPT Causing Memory Loss In Students? New Study Raises Disturbing Concerns
In the short time that advanced AI programs have been available publicly, they have already raised a lot of concerns. From fears of people using the programs to create work that is not their own and taking credit for it to AI impersonating celebrities without their permission, the legislature is having a tough time keeping up with the dangers of AI. However, one new unexpected side effect is that now AI programs like ChatGPT are being found to have potential negative mental effects, such as memory loss in students.
ChatGPT’s Harmful Outcomes?
Younger generations are often criticized for their heavy reliance on phones, and older adults often accuse members of Generation Z of having short attention spans due to their addiction to short-form content like TikTok.
However, this time those stereotypes might not just be empty criticism. A study published in the International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education found that students who relied on ChatGPT were experiencing a variety of harmful outcomes, including memory loss in their school subjects.
Too Dependent On AI?
The suspected explanation for ChatGPT causing memory loss was that students were becoming so dependent on the program to do their work for them. Essentially, they were no longer committing their work to memory since they were training themselves not to have any use for retaining that information.
This, of course, is cause for concern, as while usage of ChatGPT to finish assignments might only result in academic consequences if caught while in school, such behavior in a person’s career could get them fired.
By only focusing on getting their assignments done, no matter the method, students are creating greater challenges for themselves in the long term.
Correlation Between ChatGPT And Memory Loss
Researchers in the study broke down the correlation between ChatGPT usage and memory loss in their findings, saying, “Since ChatGPT can quickly respond to any questions asked by a user, students who excessively use ChatGPT may reduce their cognitive efforts to complete their academic tasks, resulting in poor memory.”
Too Overwhelmed?
Even leaving aside the potential link between ChatGPT and memory loss, using AI to finish your assignments is not even beneficial according to the research conducted.
The research looked at hundreds of self-reported evaluations from university students, and found that those who relied on ChatGPT to get work done actually had worse grades.
It was postulated that students willing to rely on AI were doing so because they felt overwhelmed from all of their work and were looking at ChatGPT as a way to save time.
So it was possible that the results suggested that ChatGPT was more of a last resort for students who were already struggling.
Results Are Too Quick
Beyond ChatGPT causing memory loss, it also had other potential drawbacks. Procrastination was another major one.
Students might become so reliant on AI to complete their assignments that they underestimate how long it will take them to complete something on their own. Part of schoolwork’s purpose is to teach students the discipline of turning in assignments on time and how to develop time budgeting skills to learn how long they will need to complete their work.
ChatGPT throws that off with such quick results that it deprives students of being able to develop those skills.
Further Impact
While it can be fun to see AI’s advancements like its recent usage to recreate Marilyn Monroe’s personality, the dangers of AI also cannot be overlooked. AI is only getting more advanced.
If ChatGPT is leading to memory loss from students already being so reliant on it, what further impact could it have without better regulation?
Source: Futurism
