Chatbot Brains May Slow with Age [Video]

Key Takeaways

AI programs appear to develop cognitive impairment as they ageOlder programs score worse on cognitive testingNone of the AI models tested “aced” testing

MONDAY, Dec. 23, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Humans aren’t the only ones who lose a step or two brain-wise as they age.

Artificial intelligence (AI) programs start to show signs of mild cognitive impairment as they grow older, a new study published Dec. 20 in the journal the BMJ says.

Older versions of chatbots, like older patients, tend to perform worse on tests of cognitive ability.

“Not only are neurologists unlikely to be replaced by large language models any time soon, but our findings suggest that they may soon find themselves treating new, virtual patients — artificial intelligence models presenting with cognitive impairment,” wrote a research team led by Dr. Roy Dayan, a neurologist with Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

For this study, researchers assessed the cognitive abilities of …