Experts warn AI tools are dumbing down Aussie kids and impacting their memory

Artificial intelligence tools are dumbing Australian students down so much they can’t even remember what they’ve just written, alarming new research reveals.

Artificial intelligence tools are dumbing Australian students down so much they can’t even remember what they’ve just written, researchers warn.

Tools such as Gemini, ChatGPT, Claude and Copilot are commonly used in Australian schools, but experts say they are rewiring kids’ brains and giving them “digital amnesia”.

Central Queensland University Professor Ken Purnell said students are using the programs for checking grammar, developing essay plans, refining writing and identifying research ideas, among other tasks.

AI is also used by teachers to draft parent emails, lesson plans, give instant feedback, summarise student reports and schedule reminders.

However, Professor Purnell said this usage comes with risks such as weakened memory and reasoning, loss of originality and ethical concerns.

“A Grade 10 English teacher noticed that students who used AI for essay drafts struggled to discuss their arguments in class. When asked to explain their reasoning, many drew blanks, highlighting the risk of mental disengagement,” he said.

Tools such as Gemini, ChatGPT, Claude and Copilot are commonly used in Australian schools.

Using AI to write essays led to a 47 per cent decline in active neural connections, dropping from 79 to just 42 per cent, according to a recent study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Those who used ChatGPT had the lowest brain engagement and consistently underperformed at neural, linguistic, and behavioural levels.

As time passed, students got lazier and lazier, most often just cutting and pasting essay content and were unable to recall details about work they’d just done.

“Alarmingly, 83 per cent of AI users could not recall what they had just written, compared to only 10-11 per cent of non-AI groups,” Professor Purnell said.

“The challenge is to use AI wisely, encouraging students to remain actively engaged, think deeply, and still do the hard work of learning. That’s how we build not just knowledge, but capability.”

Central Queensland University Professor Ken Purnell said the research was alarming.

His CQU colleague Dr Ragnar Purje said students who are over-reliant on the technology “become passive recipients rather than active participants in their learning, we risk weakening the very brain networks they need for critical thinking and memory”.

“If students use AI to make decisions they are not thinking, they are not developing their brains,” he said.

Findings from the Optus Digital Thumbprint study show four in 10 young people are concerned about their ability to recognise fake news or misinformation on AI, one in the three say they can’t tell if content is made with GenAI or not, and one fifth had experienced deepfakes and chatbots.

Professor Purnell said AI was “here to stay” in schools but warned educators and students needed to stay vigilant about the risks of cognitive decline.

Originally published as Experts warn AI tools are dumbing down Aussie kids and impacting their memory