🧠 Brain Rot At Scale: What MIT’s New Study Means for your business
If you’ve ever wondered whether AI is making your team smarter or just faster at thinking less, MIT has some news for you: it’s the second one.
A new study from the MIT Media Lab tracked what happens when people write using tools like ChatGPT versus traditional research or (gasp) pure brainpower. The result was a clear pattern of cognitive decline when AI does too much of the heavy lifting.
ChatGPT = Convenient. Also, But Kind of a Brain Drain.
In the study, participants were asked to write SAT-style essays using one of three methods:
No tools (pure human thinking)
Google Search
ChatGPT
The ChatGPT group? They performed the worst across every metric.
Lowest brain engagement (via EEG scans)
Weakest memory retention
“Soulless” output, according to English teachers
A growing reliance on AI with each subsequent task
By their third essay, most participants weren’t thinking critically. They were just copying, pasting, and editing passively. And when asked to revise their work without ChatGPT? They barely remembered what they’d written. Because their brains never actually processed the work in the first place.
The Cost of Outsourcing Thinking
For business leaders, this raises a bigger question: what happens when entire departments start defaulting to AI?
Yes, you may see short-term efficiency gains. But over time?
Creativity atrophies
Problem-solving weakens
Institutional knowledge gets shallower
Original thought—the stuff your brand is built on—evaporates
Think of it like this: You’re not just automating tasks. You might be automating away your team’s ability to think.
“Let’s Just Replace Entry-Level Roles With AI”
This idea is already gaining traction. But it’s a strategic trap.
MIT’s next study—still in progress—is finding even worse cognitive outcomes when AI is used in software engineering and coding. That’s right: replacing junior devs and copywriters with bots might save payroll today, but what happens when no one knows why the system works, how to troubleshoot, or how to innovate beyond the script?
Today’s junior hire is tomorrow’s CMO, VP of Ops, or product visionary. Take away the reps that build critical thinking, and you’re left with a workforce that can execute—but not evolve.
This Isn’t Anti-AI. It’s Pro-Human Strategy
AI is powerful, but if your team stops thinking when it's present, it becomes more of a leadership issue vs a tooling one.
The smartest businesses in 2025 aren’t going all-in on automation. They’re asking the following questions:
Where does AI create leverage and where does it create dependency?
How do we integrate AI without killing creativity, memory, and curiosity?
Are we training thinkers or prompt editors?
Where to Go From Here
Here’s what we tell our clients:
Use AI to accelerate, not replace.
Treat automation like a scalpel, not a sledgehammer.
Invest in systems that augment human thinking, not override it.
And if you’re not sure how to thread that needle? That’s what we do.
If you want a smarter, AI-assisted (not AI-dependent) strategy for your business, let’s talk about building a growth plan that actually makes your team smarter, not sleepier.
🧠 Quick FAQ for CEOs (and Google’s AI Snippets ;)
Is AI making teams less creative?
MIT research suggests yes, overreliance on tools like ChatGPT can reduce brain activity, memory retention, and original thought.
Should businesses replace junior roles with AI?
Short term? Maybe. Long term? You risk losing the talent pipeline and the creative resilience your business needs to grow.
What’s the best way to use AI in business?
As a supplement, not a substitute. Use AI to enhance efficiency, but keep strategy, insight, and ideation human-led.
How do I build an AI-smart (not AI-dependent) team?
Prioritize hybrid workflows, train for critical thinking, and evaluate tools not just on speed, but on cognitive impact.
