AI linked to poor critical thinking

I’ve long been skeptical about AI and its capabilities to truly move humanity forward. AI in administrative tasks or data analysis can be great. It sees exactly what you are giving it and then does exactly what you ask, much faster than you could’ve done. However, when it comes to ideas? Creation? AI (don’t get me started on the name “artificial intelligence”) in its current state is only as good as what humans put into it, so if humanity sets on the path of asking AI to come up with ideas for it then I believe stagnation will occur because it will all be recycled info. A human brain is endless. We think up the craziest things - whether good or bad - and find ways to put it into action. We take our experiences, our conversations with others, emotions, etc all into account when ideating and innovating. IMO, AI is nowhere near replacing that. *And even if it could, should we?* The human brain is beautiful and fostering that should be our focus. In the age of too much technology and interconnectedness, humanity should become more intelligent and move forward, not regress. I truly recommend reading this study by Microsoft and GenAI -

I was recommended this interesting piece of Microsoft research reflecting on the use of General AI and its impact on reducing critical thinking. Is this reflective of how human skillsets will naturally change over time with developments in tech. For example, the use of computers in the workplace, or will this lead to an overreliance on outsourcing skills, knowledge and thought by constantly referring to AI? A really interesting quote from the research for me is a reflection on the changing dynamic of critical thinking at work when using AI. "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".

Do you see the impact of Generative AI on Critical Thinking in your area of work? Well, this new research from Carnegie Mellon University & Microsoft seeks attention of #CEOs, #HR and senior leaders of modern organizations. What? 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. So What? 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. Then what? 1) Fostering workers’ domain expertise and associated self confidence (subjective measure of their knowledge, experiences, and abilities on the tasks) may result in improved critical thinking when using GenAI. It’s observed that confidence in AI is associated with reduced critical thinking effort, while self-confidence is associated with increased critical thinking effort. This duality indicates that design strategies should focus on balancing these aspects. The aims are both to improve the quality of AI-assisted tasks and also to empower users to develop their skills and maintain a balanced “relationship” with AI. 2) Enhance awareness of critical thinking opportunities. Research indicates that knowledge workers tend to forgo critical thinking for tasks perceived as unimportant or secondary, while engaging in it when aiming to improve task quality or avoid negative outcomes. 3) Increase the motivation to think critically. The study reveals that knowledge workers often neglect critical thinking when they perceive it as outside their job scope, but engage in it when aiming to improve their professional skills. Thus, critical thinking interventions for GenAI tools could be positioned as contributing to long-term skill development and professional growth, as opposed to an extraneous “co-auditing” task that is only relevant on a task-by-task basis. 4) Enhance the ability to execute critical thinking. Study finds that knowledge workers often refrain from critical thinking when they lack the skills to inspect, improve, and guide AI-generated responses. GenAI tools could incorporate features that facilitate user learning, such as providing explanations of AI reasoning, suggesting areas for user refinement, or offering guided critiques. Link to the article: https://lnkd.in/gES2ki7R #innovation #transformation #banking #highered #AI #data #genAI #analytics #data

Is AI making us think less? ???? A recent study of 319 knowledge workers suggests that higher confidence in AI leads to reduced critical thinking, while self-confidence encourages deeper reflection. The research, presented at CHI 2025, highlights a shift: instead of generating ideas from scratch, professionals are now verifying, refining, and integrating AI-generated outputs. ?? The risk? Over-reliance could weaken independent problem-solving. ?? The opportunity? Designing AI tools that enhance—not replace—human judgment. How do you see AI shaping your thinking at work? ?? #AI #CriticalThinking #GenerativeAI #FutureOfWork https://lnkd.in/gfiUA6Pf

A new study from Microsoft Research and Carnegie Mellon University suggests among other things that GenAI may be shifting how and where we engage in critical thinking. Rather than eliminating cognitive effort, AI will likely lead instead to its redistribution, away from currently prevalent critical thinking tasks and toward verification, synthesis, and decision-making. Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about AI’s impact on human effort. Like many tools before it, AI will lead to shifts in where and how we apply effort, allowing us to reclaim time and energy from one domain or activity and redistributing it elsewhere. Typewriter → Less handwriting, more editing and composition Calculator → Less arithmetic, more complex problem-solving Etc. Is AI any different in this regard? Will reducing engagement with certain types of cognitive work, simply free us up for other thinking (no less valuable or cognitively demanding) or does it erode foundational building blocks and activities that are mission critical for our broader cognitive abilities? My guess is that, long before we fully understand these trade-offs, humans will do what we always have—adapt and redirect our mostly finite pool of cognitive effort toward new types of problems and endeavors. But definitely a topic we need to continue to research and discuss more broadly. https://lnkd.in/eYbUZkr3 #GenAI #Futureofwork