US Experts Worry AI Writing Tools May Weaken Students' Thinking

It's common for US students to use AI to finish homework or even write whole essays, and some schools allow it within limits. But The New York Times reports experts worry that relying on AI too much could weaken students' thinking skills. Cognitive psychologist Ronald Kellogg says writing is a way to think, and drafting a paper is as tiring for the brain as digging a ditch is for the body. MIT research found that students who use AI for essays show less brain activity and can't recall what they wrote. Expert Steve Graham from Arizona State University warns that outsourcing any part of writing to AI has a cost. So, many US schools are now limiting AI use, bringing back pen-and-paper tests and oral exams, and Ivy League schools like Princeton are tightening supervision. Some students also realize that using AI to write essays means missing out on a chance to build their own skills.