Threat or help? How AI affects our ability to think critically
How artificial intelligence is changing our ability to analyze and criticize (photo: Freepik)
Researchers from Microsoft and Carnegie Mellon University have recently published a study that examines how the use of generative AI at work affects critical thinking skills, reports TechCrunch.
Results of the study
According to the conclusions, excessive use of AI can lead to a decrease in the cognitive abilities necessary for effective analysis and evaluation of information.
The study involved 319 people who use generative AI at least once a week at work. They were asked to share examples of how they apply the technology and assess the extent to which they use critical thinking in the process.
As a result, participants identified three main categories of use:
- content creation (for example, writing letters)
- searching for information (reviewing materials and summarizing articles)
- getting advice (data analysis, recommendations).
About 36 percent of respondents reported applying critical thinking to check AI responses. For example, one participant used ChatGPT to write a job description but manually checked the text to avoid undesirable consequences.
Another participant edited AI-generated emails before sending them to his bosses to avoid mistakes that could negatively affect working relationships.
Some users additionally checked the information using YouTube, Wikipedia, and other sources, which partially negated the convenience of working with AI.
The authors of the study note that the shortcomings of generative AI can motivate employees to evaluate the answers received more critically, but only if a person is aware of the possible risks. Moreover, participants who were confident in their abilities spent more effort on critical thinking than those who trusted AI more.
Although the researchers avoid saying that generative AI "makes people stupider," their work emphasizes that over-reliance on algorithms can weaken the ability to solve problems independently and evaluate information.
We also wrote about 10 effective queries and tools that will make AI a real assistant.
