AI can speed up some tasks but its impact on learning new skills is not well understood.

A new study investigated the effects of AI use on learning new computer programming skills.

AI use significantly reduces new skill formation.

AI use can speed up many tasks; for example, analyzing complex data. However, using AI to complete a task at work or for a hobby could lead to so-called cognitive offloading. Cognitive offloading means that someone who uses AI to do a task is not as mentally engaged in a task as someone who completes the task all by themselves. While this may not matter too much for the outcome of the task, cognitive offloading may be problematic when it comes to learning something new. When a task is performed with the aim of learning it, offloading it to AI may lead to worse learning success as opposed to conducting the task 100% with their own brain. However, psychological research on whether or not cognitive........

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