Elon Musk argued that gaming improves intelligence, posting on social media, “Either you play video games or you remain stupid.” The statement came after a study published in the journal PLOS ONE based on data from 923 participants.
The study found that people who played games for at least 5 hours a week performed similarly on cognitive tests to people who were, on average, 13.7 years younger. The researchers emphasized that this did not amount to physical rejuvenation or establish a definitive cause-and-effect relationship. Meanwhile, those who met the World Health Organization’s exercise recommendations showed no cognitive improvement but had fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Why it matters
These findings show that an association can be established between gaming and cognitive performance, but that Musk’s presentation of it as a mandatory choice goes beyond the scope of the research. The warning that the study did not measure physical rejuvenation or establish a causal link means the comparison of 13.7 years should not be interpreted as an individual outcome or as proof that games definitively increase intelligence. Although no improvement was found in cognitive tests in connection with exercise, the lower levels of depression and anxiety symptoms indicate that gaming and exercise should not be assessed using the same criteria. The key question left open by the data from 923 participants is whether the observed difference was caused by gaming and how this relationship varies among different people.
Background
Musk is not a new name in the FikirPilot archive: over the past 90 days, we published 6 stories mentioning him, the latest dated September 15, 2026.