Summary of the Key Points
This news article focuses on a study examining the use of AI by 27,000 Chinese middle school students. Students who used AI to complete their homework saw an average increase of 18% in their grades and a 30% reduction in the time it took them to complete the work, yet their scores on closed-book exams decreased by 20%. This phenomenon is not unique to students; adults such as doctors, writers, and programmers have also experienced a decline in their abilities after using AI. The core issue is that AI removes the critical steps of trial and error, reasoning, and thinking from the learning and working process, leading to a form of “cognitive overload.” Moreover, it is difficult to maintain the correct use of AI over the long term, as distorted incentives (such as high homework scores and parental praise) can make users increasingly dependent on AI, ultimately resulting in the loss of their own abilities.
Detailed Analysis
1. High Homework Scores Do Not Equal True Understanding: AI Turns Homework into a “Formality”
The essential difference between homework and exams is whether one can use tools to assist in completing them. When using AI, students can simply copy answers or have AI write their essays for them, resulting in high scores and fast completion times. However, these achievements do not reflect their true abilities. It’s like copying a classmate’s homework; the teacher may think you understand the material, but you’ll be exposed when you’re unable to apply it on an exam. The most striking finding in the study is that among students who scored over 100 on their homework, those who did not use AI improved their exam scores from 100 to 112, while those who did use AI saw a decline to 64. For the first time, homework scores became a form of deception that masked their actual knowledge.
2. Who Is Most Affected? Top Students, Middle School Students, and Boys Are the Most Vulnerable
The study identified several groups that are particularly impacted by AI:
- Top students: Those who rely on their own efforts to build their skills see a significant decline in their abilities after using AI.
- Middle school students: They have weaker self-control and are more likely to become overly dependent on AI.
- Boys: They tend to seek quick solutions and are more inclined to rely entirely on AI to complete their homework.
- Social science subjects: Subjects like politics and history, which require critical thinking and expression, see the greatest decline (27%) because AI cannot replace the need for personal thought and writing.
- Language arts: Scores in language arts only decreased by 9%, as AI cannot fully replace the development of language skills and vocabulary.
3. Adults Are Not Immune: Excessive Use of AI Leads to Skill Decline
Adults also experience a decline in their abilities when they rely too heavily on AI:
- Doctors: After using AI to assist with colonoscopy examinations, the detection rate of polyps decreased by 20%—similar to the decline in students’ exam scores, indicating a loss of professional proficiency.
- Writers: After using ChatGPT to write essays, 83% of participants could not remember the sentences they had written.
- Programmers: They become dependent on AI and struggle to work independently, feeling as if they are moving more slowly without it.
These effects occur because AI removes the steps of thinking and trial and error that should be part of the learning process. It’s like relying on a navigation system every day; you may forget how to find your way, or using a calculator every day; you may make calculation mistakes. However, in this case, AI takes away the more fundamental aspects of cognitive development.
4. Why Is It Difficult to Maintain the Correct Use of AI? Distorted Incentives Are Fuelling the Problem
Initially, some people may use AI as a form of “tutoring” (e.g., asking AI for help with difficult questions), but gradually, the situation becomes problematic:
- High homework scores lead to parental praise and teacher recognition, which encourages students to rely more on AI.
- The study found that after using AI for five months, the proportion of students who relied entirely on AI increased from 58% to 81%, and no student was willing to spend more than 65 minutes on their homework.
This “positive feedback” actually encourages laziness rather than genuine learning, making it difficult to maintain the correct use of AI over the long term.
5. Will Things Get Better in the Future? The Impact Is Mitigating, but Not Completely Eliminating
The study shows that the negative effects of AI are decreasing over time. For example, the initial decline in students’ abilities decreased from 25% at the beginning of 2023 to 16% by 2025, indicating that both teachers and students are adapting, and AI tools are improving (e.g., by showing the reasoning process behind their recommendations). However, the impact of AI will not disappear completely, as it will always replace some aspects of the thinking process.
When schools resume, parents should ask themselves, “Did you earn these high scores, or did AI help you?” Professionals should also reflect on whether their ideas are their own or merely the result of AI’s assistance. After all, while AI can help with tasks, it cannot replace the development of real skills, which are essential for long-term success.
The most alarming aspect of this study is not that AI makes people stupid, but that it makes them think they are smarter than they actually are. The scores and outputs may remain the same, but the abilities that should have been developed through the learning process are lost. It’s like building a house; AI may help you construct the framework, but if you don’t learn how to build it yourself, you’ll be at a loss when the framework collapses.
In one sentence: AI is a tool, but don’t let it become your crutch—once you become dependent on it, you’ll forget how to walk on your own.