AI usage is starting to influence how people think. (Photo: freepik)
Zurich – The increased use of artificial intelligence (AI), for example for creating emails and offers, for research and for translating foreign language texts, is at the expense of critical thinking. Michael Gerlich from the comes to this conclusion SBS Swiss Business School. He sees the main reason for the misery as the cognitive relief for users. People increasingly relied on these AI tools to reduce mental effort.
Younger people in particular are at risk
Thousands of AI-powered, AI-assisted, and AI-driven analyzes and decision tools help scientists improve their research. AI is also becoming more integrated into daily activities, from virtual assistants to complex information and decision support. However, increasing usage is beginning to influence people’s thinking, particularly among younger people who are eager to use the technology in their personal lives, they say.
Because the technology is both very new and rapidly being adopted in unpredictable ways, questions arise about long-term consequences for cognitive functions such as memory, attention, and problem solving with prolonged duration or extent of cognitive “offloading.” This means using physical actions to reduce the cognitive demands of a task. Everyday memory relies heavily on this practice.
Higher education protects users
Gerlich and his team used quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews with 666 participants in the UK to uncover the connection between AI and critical thinking. Participants aged 17 to 25 showed a higher reliance on AI tools and lower critical thinking scores than older people. Higher educational attainment was positively correlated with critical thinking skills.
The new results could have significant implications for educational policy and the integration of AI into professional environments, says Gerlich. Schools and universities should emphasize critical thinking exercises and metacognitive skill development to offset AI reliance and cognitive impact, he recommended.
He advises developers of AI systems to consider cognitive implications and ensure that their tools encourage a certain level of engagement rather than passively relying on them. Decision makers could also support programs to promote digital literacy and encourage individuals to critically evaluate AI results.
Source: www.pressetext.com
(pte003/01/15/2025/06:10)