October 17, 2026
A recent study warned that relying on artificial intelligence tools, even for short periods not exceeding 10 minutes, may negatively affect individuals’ ability to persevere and solve difficult problems independently, especially after they stop using those tools.
According to what was published by the British newspaper “The Independent”, researchers conducted experiments that included 1,222 participants, with the aim of measuring the effect of using artificial intelligence on focus, accuracy, and the ability to complete tasks continuously.
In a practical experiment that included 354 people who were asked to solve mathematical problems while allowing a group of them to use the “GBT Chat” application, the results showed that the application users achieved higher accuracy in the first stage, but their performance witnessed a rapid decline once the technical assistance was withdrawn, compared to the participants who relied on their own abilities from the beginning.
These results were repeated in other experiments that included solving mathematical problems and understanding read texts. Participants who were accustomed to digital assistance made more errors, while some of them gave up and stopped trying completely after being deprived of these tools.
In this context, the researchers warned that getting used to receiving immediate answers may make independent thinking seem more difficult and slow, stressing that over-reliance on artificial intelligence would weaken mental perseverance when facing various challenges.
Despite these results, which show a temporary decline in performance following the withdrawal of technical assistance, the study made clear that it does not provide evidence that the use of artificial intelligence causes permanent impairment in human mental abilities.
