How Relying on AI Like ChatGPT Is Making Writers Worse, According to New Research

AI Writing Tools May Be Making You a Worse Writer, Science Warns

If you’ve noticed that relying on AI writing assistants like ChatGPT seems to dull your writing skills, you’re not imagining it. A recent study from MIT and Wellesley reveals that frequent use of large language models (LLMs) can impair your brain’s engagement and creativity when writing essays—and the effects stick around even when you try to write without AI help.

How the Study Was Conducted

The experiment involved 54 students divided into three groups. One group wrote SAT-style essays using an LLM, another used Google Search, and the last relied solely on their own brains. Each participant completed three timed writing sessions using their assigned method, while researchers tracked their brain activity using EEG helmets and recorded writing time. Essays were evaluated by both humans and AI tools for quality and originality.

In a final, optional session, some students switched tools: those who used LLMs had to write without them, and vice versa. This helped measure how prior tool use affected brain engagement and writing quality.

Key Findings That Writers Should Consider

• Brain engagement is highest without tech assistance. Writers who relied solely on their own minds showed stronger internal attention and semantic processing during creative writing.
• Essays from brain-only writers were the most unique. Their work featured richer vocabulary and more original expression compared to LLM or Google users.
• Ownership over writing declined with AI use. Nearly 90% of LLM users struggled to quote themselves from their essays, compared to just 10% of brain-only writers.
• AI users focused on copying and pasting rather than original thought. Most LLM participants reused generated content instead of editing or adding personal insights.
• Writers using only their brains reported higher satisfaction. They cared more about what they wrote and why, not just how.

Why This Matters to Writers

The study highlights a cognitive trade-off: while AI tools can boost efficiency—LLM users were about 60% more productive—they also reduce deep cognitive engagement. This leads to weaker memory traces, less self-monitoring, and a fragmented sense of authorship.

Relying heavily on AI tools risks producing writing that feels less authentic and meaningful. You might finish faster, but you lose ownership and fail to internalize the knowledge or creative process behind your words.

The Bigger Picture: The “Google Effect” and Beyond

This isn’t just about LLMs. The study connects these effects to the broader “Google Effect,” where easy access to information discourages memorization and deep learning. LLMs intensify this by steering users towards the most probable answers, narrowing exposure to diverse ideas.

Because LLMs predict the next likely word, they tend to create echo chambers rather than broadening perspectives. Their conversational style can trap users in a feedback loop of narrowing information.

Switching from Brain to AI and Back

Interestingly, students who started writing without AI and then used LLMs showed more neural activity and produced more complex essays than those who began with AI. This suggests that building solid writing skills without AI first results in better outcomes, even when integrating technology later.

What Writers Should Take Away

• Use AI tools wisely and sparingly. They can boost productivity, but overreliance may dull your creativity and critical thinking.
• Practice writing without assistance to strengthen your brain’s engagement and ownership of your work.
• Be aware that faster results might come at the expense of deeper understanding and originality.
• Focus on the process, not just the product. The effort you put into writing builds skills that no AI can replace.

For writers looking to sharpen their skills while incorporating AI thoughtfully, consider training resources that help balance tech use with critical thinking. You can explore AI courses tailored for writers to learn how to use these tools effectively without sacrificing your craft.

At the end of the day, writing is a mental workout. The benefits come from challenging your brain, not outsourcing the work. AI can be a tool—but it should never replace the hard, rewarding process of thinking and creating on your own.