Trends in Cognitive Science Finds AI Use Need Not Harm Mental Tasks, as 2026 Evidence Stays Thin
Updated
Updated · IFLScience · Aug 18
Trends in Cognitive Science Finds AI Use Need Not Harm Mental Tasks, as 2026 Evidence Stays Thin
1 articles · Updated · IFLScience · Aug 18
Summary
A July 2026 Trends in Cognitive Science study found relying on AI does not necessarily impair people’s ability to perform mental tasks, though risks from long-term overuse or early-life exposure remain possible.
The review says current evidence is too limited to draw firm conclusions about large language models’ lasting cognitive effects and that outcomes depend heavily on how people use them.
Used as collaborative tools, AI systems may support learning rather than weaken it, challenging broader claims that offloading thinking to chatbots inevitably erodes critical skills.
A widely cited June 2025 MIT preprint had found weaker brain connectivity and poorer recall among LLM-assisted essay writers, but researchers quoted in the report said its design did not prove real-world harm or transfer effects.
The report places today’s AI fears alongside earlier alarms over calculators, writing and search engines, arguing technology often reshapes what people choose to remember more than their core cognitive abilities.