Using AI for Just 10 Minutes Erodes Your Ability to Persist at Hard Things

A UC Berkeley study found that using AI tools for just 10 minutes significantly impairs users' ability to focus and persist with difficult tasks. In randomized controlled trials with over 1,200 participants, those who had access to ChatGPT while solving math problems performed worse when the AI was removed, while those without AI assistance maintained their problem-solving ability. The research suggests that brief reliance on AI can erode cognitive persistence and problem-solving skills.