Brief AI use was linked to lower persistence on later tasks in study

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  A study of 1,222 participants found that brief AI use was followed by less persistence and weaker performance when people had to work without AI.

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  The participants took math and reading-comprehension tasks in three randomized experiments.

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  After AI access was removed, participants who had used it skipped 20% of remaining problems, compared with 11% in the control group.

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  Their solve rate was 57%, compared with 73% for the control group.

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  Researchers said the study did not establish how long the effect lasts or whether repeated AI use makes it worse.

Who

Researchers studied 1,222 participants. Brian Christian of the University of California, Berkeley, worked on the study.

What

The study found that brief AI use was followed by reduced persistence and performance on tasks completed without AI.

When

The study was presented at a conference last week, according to the Independent, published on 12 October 2026.

Where

The experiments were conducted online.

Why

Researchers suggested that fast AI answers may make unaided work feel slower and more demanding, and may reduce “productive struggle.

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