30-07-2025
ChatGPT prompts students to think amid fears that AI makes us stupid
ChatGPT has unveiled a 'study mode' feature that will ask students to think through questions instead of giving them easy answers.
The feature in the popular AI chatbot will encourage schoolchildren and university students to tackle problems step by step, replacing the instant, comprehensive responses that it is known for.
It follows accusations that chatbots have become a crutch preventing children from deeply engaging with a subject.
Large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT have threatened to upend education, allowing school pupils to generate essays and solve problems instantly rather than thinking for themselves.
The new feature, which parent company OpenAI said had been developed with learning experts, instead uses hints and further questions to nudge users in the right direction.
For example, when asked a computer science question regarding which of two algorithms would be more efficient, the feature would ask follow up questions before arriving at the answer.
In comparison, the regular version of ChatGPT simply answers the question without further prompting.
'ChatGPT is becoming one of the most widely used learning tools in the world,' the company said. 'But its use in education has also raised an important question: how do we ensure it is used to support real learning, and doesn't just offer solutions without helping students make sense of them?'
The feature will be an option that students have to select, and they will still be able to use the standard version of ChatGPT that will furnish them with easy answers.
Lower brain activity
A series of studies have suggested that over reliance on AI is inhibiting critical thinking. One from researchers at MIT's Media Lab found that students relying on AI models when writing essays showed lower levels of brain activity than those using search engines or relying solely on their own faculties.
More than a quarter of 13 to 17-year-olds have used ChatGPT for schoolwork, according to the US Pew Research Centre.
Oftsed said last month that 'dependence on AI tools might hinder the development of pupils' critical thinking and problem-solving skills if they are not used effectively'.
Labour has unveiled plans to encourage schools to make more use of AI, including drawing up lesson plans and marking homework. The Conservatives have warned that this risks 'starving children of the ability to think critically'.
