Cognitive Redistribution, Not Cognitive Decline: A Critical Review of Studies Linking AI Chatbot Use to Diminished Cognition

A growing body of research has linked frequent AI chatbot use to reduced neural activation, diminished memory recall, lower critical thinking scores, and increased cognitive offloading. This paper presents a critical review of the key studies driving this narrative and proposes an alternative framework: cognitive redistribution. Rather than diminishing human cognition, AI chatbots appear to be driving a reallocation of cognitive resources away from tasks that can be effectively offloaded and toward higher-order functions. This pattern is consistent with every prior cognitive technology transition in human history.