Like a Boiled Frog, Researcher Reveals the Impact of Frequent AI Use
Like a Boiled Frog, Researcher Reveals the Impact of Frequent AI Use
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - The use of Artificial Intelligence is often said to have an impact on humans. A recent study has found that AI can damage intellectual abilities and lead to quick giving up.
This was discovered in cases where AI is used for intensive cognitive work involving reasoning, such as writing, learning, coding, and brainstorming.
“After just 10 minutes of problem-solving with AI assistance, people who lose access to AI work more laboriously and give up more often compared to those who never used it,” stated the study conducted by a team from the United States (US) and the UK, quoted from Futurism, Wednesday (15/4/2026).
The research asked 350 US citizens to complete short fraction equations. More than half were given access to a chatbot for help, while the rest worked without AI assistance.
Changes occurred when those who used AI had their access cut off. Their ability and willingness to tackle problems without AI support declined drastically.
Two subsequent similar experiments yielded the same results. The findings were not limited to mathematics problems alone.
The discovery also revealed that different ways of using AI affect individuals even when they are not using the technology at all. One method is asking for answers directly, which ultimately makes it difficult to work when AI assistance is stopped.
However, those who used the chatbot for hints rather than full answers appeared to perform better without AI support.
The use of AI in cognitive tasks is likened to a “boiled frog”. In the end, it will have long-term impacts on humans themselves and will be difficult to reverse.
“If sustained AI use erodes motivation and perseverance to drive long-term learning, the effects will accumulate over years and will be hard to restore,” explained the research team.
A member of the research team from the University of California, Rachit Dubey, is also concerned that AI makes people impatient after it replaces cognitive work. He even noted the risk of addiction if there is excessive dependence on AI.
“Practice makes you better in many fields, and that’s what AI takes away from you, and that’s what worries me the most. We will have a generation of learners and people who don’t know what they can do, and that will reduce human innovation and creativity,” Dubey explained.