this post was submitted on 10 Feb 2025
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141
The Impact of Generative AI on Critical Thinking: Self-Reported Reductions in Cognitive Effort and Confidence Effects From a Survey of Knowledge Workers (advait.org)
submitted 2 days ago by mehdi_benadel@lemmy.balamb.fr to c/technology@lemmy.world
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GenAI can inhibit critical engagement with work and can potentially lead to long-term overreliance on the tool and diminished skill for independent problem-solving.

Analysing 936 real-world GenAI tool use examples our participants shared, we find that knowledge workers engage in critical thinking primarily to ensure the quality of their work, e.g. by verifying outputs against external sources. Moreover, while GenAI can improve worker efficiency, it can inhibit critical engagement with work and can potentially lead to long-term overreliance on the tool and diminished skill for independent problem-solving. Higher confidence in GenAI’s ability to perform a task is related to less critical thinking effort. When using GenAI tools, the effort invested in critical thinking shifts from information gathering to information verification; from problem-solving to AI response integration; and from task execution to task stewardship. Knowledge workers face new challenges in critical thinking as they incorporate GenAI into their knowledge workflows. To that end, our work suggests that GenAI tools need to be designed to support knowledge workers’ critical thinking by addressing their awareness, motivation, and ability barriers.

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[–] Famko@lemmy.world 10 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Do you think this is the reason why so much money is being poured into generative AI by tech bros and now the US government? Lessening the critical thinking skills of people who use it, which is a lot of people by now, so that they don't worry about what unethical things companies or the government does?

Something to think about, I suppose.

[–] rottingleaf@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Yes. But I think I have a better viewpoint - they want to insert a blackbox mechanism between all our interactions.

A computer can be an instrument, a set of tools for our mind to do powerful things.

What such AIs do is to insert an easy to use layer between us and all those tools. A computer here encompasses computer networks, including global ones, and human communication over them. So even between us and all the world.

So ultimately it's a way to create Matrix. To control what we think, to control how things we want done are done. To intercept both outgoing and inbound signals, or falsify them.

I don't think this is even a question, when the world has a few dominating parties, they will want to exercise such control. It's not a conspiracy theory, it's how governments and huge companies and have functioned for all of history. Because humans are apes and when in power positions, should be brought down to sinful earth.

[–] IAMHEREDOTDOTDOTNOW@lemm.ee 4 points 2 days ago

This is The Patriots from Metal Gear Solid.

[–] Famko@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I guess we should watch out for when they make an AI based VR "experience" then. That'll definitely turn into a Matrix like situation.

(Assuming it doesn't turn into complete garbage like that AI Minecraft experiment.)

[–] rottingleaf@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

Nah, I think they've started with the most important part - text, specifically search. There were search engines which, while still honest, gave you direct access to sources in exchange for your time. There were search engines already dishonest, but still giving you that, just distorted. This integrates what could be scraped for you, so you can be fed any flavor of opinions and you'll consume that.