Newsletter #31 What happens to our brains when we talk with AI

As we begin 2026, what keywords might shape conversations about teaching in the year ahead? Engagement? Active learning? Assessment?

A decade ago, these ideas were already central to discussions about effective teaching. Today, those conversations increasingly intersect with another force: artificial intelligence.

As AI enters the classroom, a deeper question emerges: How might AI shape the way we think?

At the start of this semester, we would like to highlight a recent study from the MIT Media Lab, led by Dr. Nataliya Kosmyna, that explores the relationship between AI use and human cognition.

Over a four-month period, researchers observed 54 participants from universities in the greater Boston area as they completed writing tasks under different conditions: using ChatGPT, using search engines, or relying on their own thinking without external tools. Brain activity was recorded using electroencephalography (EEG), allowing researchers to examine how different forms of assistance influence cognitive engagement.