By: Marissa Valentine
Cleveland parents and educators are joining a growing national conversation about the effects of artificial intelligence (AI) on student learning, as a new MIT study warns of a phenomenon called “cognitive debt.”
At the beginning of this school year, concerns have risen that overuse of AI tools like ChatGPT may be hindering students’ creativity and critical thinking.
Research by neuroscientist Nataliya Kosmyna, Ph.D., in her article “Your Brain on ChatGPT: Understanding Cognitive Debt in the Age of AI,” indicates that heavy reliance on AI for complex tasks weakens the brain’s ability to process and generate original ideas.
What Is AI and Why Is It Everywhere?
Over the past 15ears, technology has advanced rapidly, embedding AI in nearly every part of daily life. AI allows computers and machines to simulate human intelligence and perform decision-making tasks once reserved for people.
According to IBM, AI applies to tools such as large language models (LLMs) and applications like ChatGPT and Grammarly. From voice assistants to personalized advertisements, AI is now a constant presence in how Americans live, learn, and work.
AI: Helper or Problem?
AI promises convenience and speed, whether checking out groceries, using traffic cameras, or crafting emails. Many use AI to plan workouts, generate meal ideas, or even research academic topics.
Properly used, it can be a supportive resource, helping students identify credible sources and save time. Yet, this constant ease raises a critical question: if AI handles the complex mental work, are we unintentionally dulling the very thinking skills that make us human?
How AI Makes Our Brains “Lazy”
Asking Alexa to answer a simple question might seem harmless, but the constant use of machine learning tools changes how the brain functions.
A 2024 Scientific Reports study titled “Generative AI Use in Academic Writing Enhances Text Quality but Reduces Brain Activity Associated with Active Thinking” found that AI reduces a process called active retrieval, the act of searching, filtering, and analyzing information.
This process keeps the brain sharp and engaged. When ChatGPT delivers an instant, polished response, users bypass critical steps of evaluation and judgment, weakening comprehension and independent thought.
The MIT Study and “Cognitive Debt”
“Cognitive debt” describes the intellectual decline that results from over-reliance on AI manifesting in reduced creativity, reasoning ability, and writing complexity. In 2024 Dr. Kosmyna and fellow MIT Media Lab researchers monitored students’ brain activity using EEGs.
Those who wrote essays with AI assistance displayed noticeably less cognitive engagement than students who generated their work independently. The study’s findings point to an alarming tradeoff: while AI boosts speed and quality of output, it may simultaneously suppress the brain’s creative and critical faculties.
The Costs of Dependence
The MIT study outlined several side effects of excessive AI use:
- Diminished ownership of work: Outsourcing intellectual effort means users feel less connected to their output, which reduces motivation and deeper inquiry.
- Loss of comprehension: Copying AI responses fosters surface understanding rather than mastery of complex ideas
- Reduced originality: Formulaic AI writing lacks personal insight and emotional nuance, leading to more mechanical, less authentic expression.
These tendencies suggest that the more people rely on AI to write, reason, or solve, the less they engage in the kind of cognitive rehearsal necessary for intellectual growth.
The Local Impact: Cleveland’s Cognitive Stakes
In regions like Cleveland and Cuyahoga County, these concerns take on additional weight. The local economy increasingly depends on innovative, analytical workers who can problem-solve, think critically, and adapt in fast-changing industries.
If students in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District rely too heavily on AI, they risk entering adulthood without the intellectual agility needed to thrive in high-wage, high-skill careers.
This “cognitive debt” could widen the education and income gaps already present in the area, limiting long-term economic competitiveness.
What Parents Are Saying
Not everyone believes AI is a universal threat. Some educators and parents argue that AI can enhance learning opportunities, especially for students with learning differences. Lauren Lynch, a Cleveland parent of four, suggests AI could serve as an inclusive educational tool when used with intention.
“AI can support neurodivergent learners if paired with curricula that build problem-solving skills rather than replace them”, she explains. Many teachers share this optimism, noting that AI can help tailor instruction to meet diverse student needs, when balanced with critical engagement and traditional learning methods.
Striking a Balance for the Future
The solution is not to ban AI, but to foster healthy, mindful use. Educators should teach students how to use AI intelligently, asking questions, verifying sources, and evaluating results. Integrating lessons in digital literacy can help students recognize when AI improves efficiency and when it undermines learning.
Schools can encourage assignments that require independent thought, discussion, and writing to preserve cognitive development while embracing technological tools responsibly.
The Path Forward
Society’s relationship with AI reflects a larger struggle between convenience and cognition. Machines can streamline tasks and expand access to knowledge, but they cannot replace the intricate neural processes that shape human intelligence.
The aim, then, should not be to reject technology but to ensure it remains a complement to human thought, not a substitute for it.
As teachers and families continue adapting to an AI-driven world, awareness of these tradeoffs becomes crucial.
Human brains still need challenge, reflection, and curiosity to grow. The promise of AI should not blind us to its cost: if used carelessly, it may quietly drain the very creativity and critical thought it was meant to enhance.
Marissa is a United States Navy Veteran. She holds a Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy from Abilene Christian University and a Bachelor’s in Communications from the University of Texas RGV with a focus in Journalism.
