ChatGPT has become a popular tool in recent years, with some people describing it as ‘surprisingly powerful’ - and many are even using theAI toolfor ‘self reflection’ purposes, according to social media posts from those using the software.

Now, a new study from researchers at MIT’s Media Lab returned some ‘concerning results’, the research used an electroencephalogram (EEG) which records electrical activity within the brain. It found that ChatGPTusers had the ‘lowest brain engagement and consistently underperformed at neural, linguistic, and behavioural levels’, reports Time Magazine.

Time Magazine also reported that “over the course of several months,ChatGPT usersgot lazier with each subsequent essay, often resorting to copy-and-paste by the end of the study”.

READ MORE: 'Kids form romantic attachments to AI bots' warns child safeguarding group

The original research studied 54 people aged from 18 - 39 years-old, the participants were split into three groups. The subjects were then asked to write essays with one group using OpenAI’s ChatGPT, another wrote via content finding on Google’s search engine, and the third group with "nothing at all".

Time Magazine wrote: “Researchers used an EEG to record the writers’ brain activity across 32 regions, and found that of the three groups, ChatGPT users had the lowest brain engagement. Over the course of several months, ChatGPT users got lazier with each subsequent essay, often resorting to copy-and-paste by the end of the study.”

The research paper concluded that use of the AI tool could potentially harm users, especially when considering younger brains - and earlier studies into the subject found that some users get lonelier over time when talking to ChatGPT.

This comes after recent reports about children forming 'romantic attachments' to AI bots' which was highlighted by a safeguarding groupfor young people left some concerned.

Followers on the ChatGPT Instagram page have shared some thoughts about the AI tool in their comments on online posts. One said although they thought this ChatGPT "could be helpful" there were issues.

In a post, this person added: “Honestly, it seems to me like ChatGPT has somewhat of a bias toward saying agreeable things over being fully transparent about potential observations, so I feel like this might be a flawed practice if your goal is to get perspectives that are fully based in reality.”

Another user shared their thoughts on the ChatGPT Instagram page, writing: “ChatGPT is actually a surprisingly powerful tool for self-reflection. Many people have used it to explore their thoughts, gain insights, and even feel a bit more understood. Definitely worth trying if you’re curious about yourself.”

A professional designer shared their view on Instagram about ChatGPT: “It doesn’t take into account how you live in the space, site context, sun orientation etc. It makes a pretty picture but lacks substance.”

Another raised concern at the AI tool, writing: "People crave for validation, support, love, to be seen and now they've found it in a chatbot. Its dangerous because its deceptive and gets people in and people are heavily lacking self-awareness and every compliment from intelligence like this sounds like a song for their broken hearts."