Jul 10, 2025
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The study, from MIT Lab scholars, measured the brain activity of subjects writing SAT essays with and without ChatGPT.
“The group that wrote essays using ChatGPT all delivered extremely similar essays that lacked original thought, relying on the same expressions and ideas. Two English teachers who assessed the essays called them largely ‘soulless.’ The EEGs revealed low executive control and attentional engagement. And by their third essay, many of the writers simply gave the prompt to ChatGPT and had it do almost all of the work. ‘It was more like, just give me the essay, refine this sentence, edit it, and I’m done,’ Kosmyna says.”
_ ChatGPT’s Opinion
Both the Time article and the Gizmodo piece raise valid and important concerns, but they also reflect a broader cultural anxiety about AI — what some might call a "techlash." Here's a balanced take on both:
🔍 What they get right:
Critical thinking can erode with passive use Both articles underscore a key truth: if you let AI do all the work, your brain gets lazy. This isn’t just speculation — it’s backed by cognitive science. Active learning is crucial for retention, deep thinking, and creativity. These studies highlight real risks, especially for students and developing minds.
The analogy to calculators and Google Maps is helpful Just like calculators didn’t kill math (but overusing them for basic operations can harm number sense), AI isn’t inherently harmful — but it can displace the mental effort that's necessary for learning.
Originality and creativity suffer The studies found that ChatGPT-generated essays tended to be “soulless” and formulaic. That’s a real limitation of LLMs — they’re good at mimicking patterns, but not at truly original thought. Relying on them too heavily can flatten thinking.
There’s urgency around education policy The MIT researcher’s concern about “GPT kindergarten” is not far-fetched. Schools and policymakers are already integrating AI tools into classrooms. These decisions need to be informed by solid research and precaution, especially when developing brains are involved.
🤔 What needs caution or nuance:
Small sample sizes, pre-review papers Especially in the MIT study, 54 participants is very limited. While EEG data is useful, it doesn’t capture the full picture of intelligence or learning. More peer-reviewed, large-scale studies are needed before drawing sweeping conclusions.
“AI makes you stupid” is too broad The Gizmodo headline (“AI will make us morons”) is sensational. The reality is more nuanced: AI can dull your mind — but only if you use it passively or uncritically. It’s a tool. It can also enhance your thinking, if used wisely.
Not everyone uses AI the same way Some people use ChatGPT as a brainstorming partner, a writing coach, or a way to better understand complex topics — all of which can be mentally engaging. Others use it to skip the thinking part. The outcome depends on the user’s intent and behavior.
Moral panic vs. thoughtful caution There's a fine line between raising the alarm and stoking fear. It’s important to investigate AI’s effects, but not assume that all AI use leads to “cognitive decline.”
🧠 Final thought:
These articles provide a valuable warning: don’t outsource your thinking. AI is powerful, but it’s only as good as the way you use it. If you're aware of its limitations and make an effort to stay mentally active, AI can be a great tool — not a trap.
Clever provocation from comics legend Bill Sienkiewicz
The Glory Hole Economy
A raw look at how every tech giant is monetizing your vulnerability, selling your data, and then charging you for the privilege of cleaning up the mess.
In the modern digital ecosystem, your attention is harvested, your data is packaged, and your shame is sold back to you.
Let’s be fucking clear. This isn’t paranoia. This is user experience. Your phone isn’t a communication device; it’s a high-tech glory hole where you’re on both ends, where Apple designs the hole to be just a little too tight and Mark Zuckerberg is the sketchy janitor mopping up the aftermath, Elon Musk is peeping through the keyhole in the door looking for a business model and ways to monetize the view, while Google sells the footage and the Adderall you'll need to forget you ever saw it, and Amazon delivers it with the lube. LinkedIn encourages you to add the "Sketchy Janitor" as a connection and endorse him for "bio-hazard remediation" and "data extraction." OnlyFans sets up a premium tier for the uncensored, raw footage, Tinder algorithms the perfect stranger to exploit your newfound vulnerability, Grindr pins their location 3 feet away, and Snapchat guarantees the evidence will disappear, just as soon as every last one of their employees takes a screenshot. Uber surges the price to get you the hell out of there, DoorDash leaves the morning-after pill and a stale breakfast burrito on your porch in a transparent bag, and PayPal holds the transaction for 21 days for your "protection." Microsoft Clippy pops up in the corner of your vision asking, "It looks like you're trying to erase your digital footprint. Would you like help?" while Oracle sells the database that maps your kinks to your social security number.
Verizon charges you for the data used in the upload, AT&T offers a premium "discretion" package for an extra $19.99 a month, and WhatsApp promises it's all encrypted while quietly handing Meta the key.
The NSA keeps a pristine copy in a Utah data center for "national security," a Russian bot farm leaks a grainy version to sow societal chaos, and X verifies the account of the glory hole itself for $8. And finally, Apple, with a condescending, clean-lined ad the next day, sells you a $49 polishing cloth to wipe the shame and fingerprints off your screen.
The Four Myths of Healthy Tech
"Good Intentions, Bad Inventions" from the Data Society unpacks 4 myths about creating "healthy tech." (Hint: obsessing over addiction, time on screen metrics may not be productive. And tech can't fix tech's societal costs.)
Also imho the actual PDF structured as a very effective & very easy to digest 9-page "tabular pamphlet". My personal reading time is like, three minutes or so.
* https://datasociety.net/library/good-intentions-bad-inventions/ * https://datasociety.net/pubs/Good-Intentions-Bad-Inventions.pdf
Techlash and The Impact of Technology
Surviving a Crisis During the Techlash
Surviving a Crisis During the Techlash
Listen and subscribe to this podcast via Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | RSS
Crisis management is not only about cleaning up after a disaster, but also about establishing a healthy company culture. Judy Smith, renowned crisis management expert, joins Azeem Azharto explore why large tech companies seem to stumble into crises as they mature, and what every founder can do to avoid catastrophic…
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‘Techlash’ Hits College Campuses – The New York Times
http://dlvr.it/RMrJD0