GoKawiilUC Irvine study links ChatGPT use to weaker math problem-solving skills
Researchers at the University of California, Irvine analyzed a decade of usage data from McGraw Hill's Aleks math platform, comparing student performance before and after ChatGPT's 2022 launch. They found students completed word problems faster and with higher accuracy after ChatGPT arrived, but scored 25% worse on those same problem types during proctored exams without AI access, while graphing-task performance stayed the same. A separate July study from Middlebury College suggested students can still use AI productively as a tutor without losing critical thinking skills.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The findings suggest that students may be substituting AI-generated answers for the step-by-step reasoning process that builds durable math skills, according to lead researcher Sina Rismanchian. This raises questions for educators about how to integrate AI tools into coursework without undermining learning, and indicates the effect may depend heavily on how students use the technology rather than whether they use it at all.
- UC Irvine researchers analyzed 10 years of data from McGraw Hill's Aleks math platform spanning 2015-2025.
- Students were 25% less likely to solve word problems correctly on AI-free proctored exams after ChatGPT's release, though graphing scores held steady.
- A Middlebury College study found AI can support learning as a tutor if critical thinking is actively maintained.
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Published there as: “Is ChatGPT Dulling Your Brain? New Studies Raise Alarming Questions.”
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