Tyler Cowen: Does AI Make Us Stupid? A viral new research paper claims ChatGPT will stop us from thinking. Really?
“Do not panic,” writes Tyler Cowen. “The age of stupidity is not yet upon us—at least not compared to how stupid things already have been.” (Illustration by The Free Press; photo by Orlando via Getty Images)
Does AI make us stupid? Does excessive use of ChatGPT turn you into an inattentive moron? Those are the latest charges levied against these transformative new technologies, and the critics this time come from MIT. A new research paper, currently going viral on social media, alleges that when writers use ChatGPT to complete a task, their “cognitive activity scaled down.” Titled “Your Brain on ChatGPT,” the implied conclusion is clear: AI might make tasks easier, but the downstream effects are perilous for our long-term ability to think. This article is featured in Tech and Business. Sign up here to get an update every time a new piece is published. At first glance, this result might seem intuitive. After all, if you use GPS to drive around where you live, you might never end up learning the proper routes on your own. Or if you can Google to learn the capital city of any U.S. state, you might never memorize the list of them, as I was required to do in grade school way back when. But do not panic. The age of stupidity is not yet upon us—at least not compared to how stupid things already have been. ...
Become a paid subscriber Get access to our comments section, special columns like TGIF and Things Worth Remembering, tickets in advance to our live events, and more. UPGRADE TODAY |
