Billions of networked nerve cells work in the brain and different areas have different tasks. According to experts, digitalization is changing learning processes in the brain. And artificial intelligence (AI) is also placing new demands on the human control center with programs such as ChatGPT. Psychologist and brain researcher Peter Gerjets from the Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien in Tübingen assumes that ChatGPT and similar services will have a major impact on education. Meaningful, competent use is by no means a foregone conclusion.
"It must not happen in the educational process that the active learning process is outsourced to ChatGPT and the brain is not challenged," says the educational scientist on International Education Day on January 24. "It's important what happens in the mind and what comes out as a real learning achievement. Whether this happens with or without the support of GPT is ultimately not decisive."

Cognitive off-loading

Handing over cognitive work to AI is always associated with the question of whether this creates free space that the brain can use for other tasks. This was once the subject of heated debate when GPS navigation systems were introduced. "The fact is that if a certain skill is no longer needed, the areas of the brain that implement this skill are weakened." Gerjets gives the following example: "If I use the calculator to divide, I am much faster in the result, but my ability to divide suffers and this affects the corresponding areas of the brain." However, this is no drama, because what is buried in the brain can be revived. The researcher explains: "Certain areas swell up when the demands are particularly high. "They become larger and denser." And they shrink when the demands decrease. Permanent multitasking leads to exhaustion in the brain.

Prefrontal cortex more heavily used

Even using technical devices such as tablets for digital learning requires extra attention and energy because, in addition to processing the content, operating the technology also requires concentration, explains neurobiologist Martin Korte from TU Braunschweig. When scrolling across several pages and immersing yourself in hyperlinks, it is exhausting not to lose track of the content and to regain an overview in your head. The prefrontal cortex in the frontal lobe in particular - the "command center in the brain and the cockpit where all information comes together and tasks are distributed" - is under significantly more strain.

Now that AI with tools such as ChatGPT are likely to be increasingly used, the following applies all the more: "If we are only passive spectators when learning through ready-made answers, learning is not sustainable," says Korte. Activity is important - as is being able to reflect on content and information. This results in knowledge that is stored in the brain - which in turn "changes the circuits, i.e. the structure of the brain". An AI that is understood in terms of its strengths and weaknesses can be an asset. "But only if we - teachers and students alike - become smarter to the same extent that the machines become smarter," emphasizes Korte.

AI use places additional demands on the brain

"Evaluating and selecting new information, comparing sources - all of this is work for the frontal lobe of our brain. This ability to evaluate is becoming increasingly important," emphasizes Gerjets. ChatGPT always gives the impression of having given a correct answer: "Linguistically smooth and fully formulated, in a tone of conviction, but without citing sources. Many people find that credible. I find that very questionable."

Gerjets sees enormous opportunities for the education sector in AI tools such as ChatGPT. They could have many advantages for students, for example when generating exercise material or when quizzing what they have learned. "However, you have a learning companion and conversation partner who you have to be careful with, because they don't know everything and sometimes deliver complete nonsense."

The researcher from Tübingen says that it is not yet clear whether brain structures will change in the long term as a result of the use of AI. According to a Bitkom survey, a majority of 61% of all citizens in Germany are in favor of the use of AI in education, as reported by the digital association.

A look at the universities

AI has also long since arrived in the university world. A test conducted by the Institute for Medical Didactics recently revealed that in almost half of the cases, students were unable to correctly identify whether multiple-choice questions were posed by humans or AI. They also rated the difficulty of the tasks as practically identical, according to the University Hospital Bonn.

It was already known there that ChatGPT and similar tools can answer questions in medical state examinations. The programs were also already being used for self-testing the knowledge acquired. Now a promising tool for creating exam questions seems to have been found for medical studies.