Cognitive Atrophy Brought to You by ChatGPT

Photo provided by PubMed 

By Abigail Medved

The use of Artificial Intelligence appears to be causing brain changes in the younger generation.

In today's ever-evolving technological world, it is unrealistic to believe that there would be no controversy surrounding recent developments like AI. Society has once again delivered with growing concern surrounding AI and its effect on the human brain. 

In PubMed’s study “From Tools to Threats,” researchers, including Ismail Dergaa, Helmi Ben Saad, and others, report, “The concept of AICICA [AI chatbox cognitive atrophy] raises the potential cognitive consequences of excessive reliance on AICs [AI Chatboxes].”

According to the Cleveland Clinic, cognitive atrophy is the loss of neuron connections in the brain that often results in loss of brain volume. This can lead to memory loss, weak critical thinking skills, and other detrimental effects. Although memory loss is often a normal part of aging, healthcare professionals use the term “cognitive atrophy” specifically to describe cognitive changes beyond that expected for an individual’s age. 

PubMed’s study concluded, “It is crucial to recognize that AICICA may disproportionately affect the younger generation, particularly those prioritizing convenient access to information over deep reflection and comprehension, given their continuously developing brains.”

In another study by PubMed, researchers found that human processing speed decreases over time while crystallized intelligence creates an arc (See chart). Since younger children are still undergoing the development of crystallized skills, the development of cognitive atrophy from AI has a more detrimental effect on young brains. However, not only are researchers expecting further changes to the human brain, but also changes within AI itself.

“I am of the view that AI is eventually going to be able to do everything that humans can, and that this will happen faster than we think,” neuroscientist Ivan Soltezs states in an interview with Stanford Medicine. “I have a grant from the National Science Foundation whose central motivation is to develop new computers that can run on sugar, just like our brains do. The future could also hold other solutions for energy sources. So, even this energy limitation of AI systems will likely be gone very soon.”

If simply losing AI chatboxes has effects like cognitive atrophy, what human changes lie ahead with the constant development of AI? This question remains unanswered by researchers and scientists. However, based on past events, it is evident that bigger transformations are coming.


Sources:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11020077/
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22515-brain-atrophy
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4906299/
https://stanmed.stanford.edu/experts-weigh-ai-vs-human-brain/