New York Times Study Examines How AI Chatbots Affect Brain Development in Math Learning

A New York Times examination of research on AI chatbots and brain development draws on data from millions of mathematics sessions completed by students ranging from fifth grade through college. Researchers compared student performance recorded before 2022, the year ChatGPT was first released, against work produced after the chatbot's arrival. The study, published in the New York Times Magazine on September 29, 2026, focuses on how the use of AI tools may alter the way the brain develops and processes mathematical problem-solving. By tracking a large pool of learners across multiple grade levels, the analysis offers one of the broadest looks yet at the educational impact of generative AI. The comparison hinges on the divide created by ChatGPT's launch, treating the period before and after its introduction as distinct conditions for measuring change. The findings contribute to an ongoing debate over whether AI assistance strengthens or weakens cognitive skills in students. The New York Times is the source of the report.