10 Minutes of AI Can Make You Worse at Hard Problems, Berkeley Study Finds

AI 📅 Oct 10, 2026 ✍️ Aamir Raza

10 Minutes of AI, and Your Focus Slips

A new UC Berkeley study finds that brief AI help can erode your ability to stick with hard problems. LexxWire

1,222 People, Real Experiments

Researchers ran randomized trials online, testing volunteers on fraction math and reading comprehension with and without AI help. LexxWire

Helpful at First, Costly After

With ChatGPT open, one group scored better on 15 fraction problems. Once the AI was removed at problem 12, their accuracy collapsed almost immediately. LexxWire

The Real Damage: Giving Up

People who had AI assistance were more likely to quit problems early and scored worse working alone than those who never got help. LexxWire

Hints Are Fine — Answers Aren't

Using AI for guidance caused no real harm. The damage hit hardest when people asked the AI to solve problems for them directly. LexxWire

10 Minutes of AI Can Make You Worse at Hard Problems, Berkeley Study Finds

10 Minutes of AI, and Your Focus Slips

1,222 People, Real Experiments

Helpful at First, Costly After

The Real Damage: Giving Up

Hints Are Fine — Answers Aren't

More Stories

SpaceX's $8B Spectrum Buy Sets Up Starlink Mobile to …

Google Is Cutting Free Gemini Down to One Model Today

Next: SpaceX's $8B Spectrum Buy Sets Up Starlink Mobile to Challenge AT&T and Verizon