AI Learning Tool Study: Smarter or Stupider?

Concerns are rising about the potential for artificial intelligence to diminish human cognitive abilities, making individuals less sharp and engaged. Scientists are actively exploring this question. Researchers from the University of California, Irvine, in collaboration with McGraw Hill, have embarked on an in-depth study to address this.

The investigation leverages a decade of data, commencing in 2015, from a widely-used online learning platform. This dataset comprises millions of math sessions. The core of the research involves a comparative analysis of student performance metrics from before 2022, when ChatGPT gained prominence, against performance data gathered subsequently.

The study encompasses a broad demographic, including students from fifth grade up to the collegiate level. The findings aim to shed light on whether the increasing integration of AI tools into daily learning and problem-solving is correlated with a decline in fundamental cognitive skills. This research is ongoing as of September 30, 2026.