Study finds AI assistance reduces independent problem-solving ability and persistence
By
Grace Liu1,
A bagel you'd recommend to a friend without hedging.
Summary
A large-scale randomized controlled experiment (N=354) provides causal evidence that AI assistance on fraction-solving tasks reduces subsequent unassisted performance and persistence. Participants who used an AI assistant (GPT-5) to solve math problems performed worse when the AI was later removed without warning, compared to a control group that solved problems independently throughout. The study suggests that reliance on AI tools may impair the development of independent problem-solving skills and reduce perseverance on challenging tasks.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledTo investigate the causal impact of AI assistance on subsequent problem-solving capacity, we conducted a large-scale, randomized controlled experiment (N = 354) on fraction-solving tasks.
Participants were randomly assigned to an AI condition or a control condition.
The AI was then removed without warning, and all participants completed a post-test without assistance.
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