Artificial intelligenceis increasingly prevalent in our daily lives due to its greater prominence on our smartphones and computers, whether throughChatGPT,Apple Intelligence, Gemini, or other AI models likeDeepSeek.
Even before the recentrise of AI, there were fears about computers and robots potentially taking over our jobs,a topicthat remains relevant today. However, a recent study investigates an alternative issue related toAI becoming mainstream, specifically its impact on our critical thinking abilities.
According to anew studyby Microsoft and Carnegie Mellon University researchers, the more humans rely on AI to carry out tasks, the less they engage their critical thinking skills, hindering their ability to use these skills when needed.
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How AI could affect critical thinking skills
The study found that the people who trusted and relied on AI the most, engaged in critical thinking the least
The study surveyed 319 data-handling knowledge workers and asked them to self-report their use of AI tools in the workplace. The findings revealed that individuals who trusted AI were likelier to utilize it for a broader range of tasks and spend less time evaluating its work. Although AI’s current functions may not carry high stakes, researchers express concern regarding its potential long-term effects on critical thinking skills.
Workers who were less confident in AI’s ability to complete tasks were found to engage their critical thinking skills more often and spend more time evaluating and improving any work AI helped produce.
“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.“the study’sconclusion reads. “Knowledge workers face new challenges in critical thinking as they incorporate GenAI into their knowledge workflows.”
The study found that AI tools can help workers be more efficient; however, it raises concerns about the potential long-term effects of AI’s efficiency benefit on critical thinking abilities. Although the results of this study may not surprise many, it does give you something to consider as AI becomes more and more dominant on our devices.
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