Is ChatGPT really making us dumb and lazy?

ChatGPT can reduce mental engagement when users simply copy-paste rather than actively engage with it, according to a small MIT study where brain-only writers showed higher mental connectivity than AI users. While sensationalist headlines claim AI "rots your brain," the reality is more nuanced—the concern isn't brain decay but diminished critical thinking when we over-rely on generative AI without questioning its outputs or embedded biases.