Scientists Are Studying What AI Does To Young Brains. The Biggest Questions Are Still Unanswered.

An AI system that helps a student work through a problem may create a different developmental experience from one that simply supplies the finished answer. (Credit: Growtika on Unsplash)

Artificial intelligence has become part of everyday life for millions of children and teenagers before researchers have had enough time to determine what frequent chatbot use may mean for developing brains.

A growing body of research is now trying to answer that question, with scientists examining everything from attention and creativity to emotional development, critical thinking and the effects of outsourcing difficult mental tasks to AI.