Scientists at Microsoft Research and Carnegie Mellon investigate how generative AI affects critical thinking among knowledge workers, as it is now largely used in their workflows. Their study reveals that increased confidence in AI is correlated with less critical thinking. At the same time, higher confidence in personal skills leads to more critical thinking, but the process is perceived as more mentally demanding.
Avoiding misinformation and bias
Critical thinking is the ability to analyze, evaluate, and create new ideas or solutions by applying logical reasoning, reflection, and problem-solving skills (Bloom’s taxonomy). It involves questioning, making informed judgments, and thinking independently rather than passively accepting information.
Lack of critical thinking can result in poor decision-making, as individuals may accept misinformation or make choices based on biases rather than logical reasoning. It also increases the risk of manipulation, making people more likely to fall for fake news, propaganda, or deceptive marketing tactics. In the workplace, this can lead to costly errors and inefficiency.
Critical thinking in the age of automation
Automation (machines doing tasks for us, like generative AI) is supposed to make life easier by handling repetitive jobs. It can provide valuable insights, free up time for more complex tasks, and support better decision-making.
The impact of automation on critical thinking can vary greatly depending on how it is used. Due to extensive use of automation, the users’ ability to think critically and make good judgments can fade, making them less prepared when something unexpected happens.
The context in which automation is used plays a significant role. For example, in educational settings, if students rely heavily on AI without engaging in the learning process, it might hinder their critical thinking development. On the other hand, professionals using AI tools to enhance productivity and make informed decisions might experience an improvement in their critical thinking skills and practices.
Generative AI and critical thinking
Generative AI (GenAI), which is a part of automation, refers to advanced models that can create new content, such as text, images, music, and more. This form of automation can perform tasks that typically require human creativity and cognitive skills, such as writing articles, generating art, composing music, or coding.
When someone uses AI-generated content, critical thinking isn’t necessarily in the creation process but in the evaluation. Deciding whether the output meets their standards or requires further modification involves thoughtful judgment.
The researchers tried to understand how the knowledge workers use critical thinking with GenAI tools and how it affects their perceived effort of thinking critically. They surveyed 319 knowledge workers who use GenAI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot) at least once a week at work. Participants shared 936 first-hand examples of using GenAI in work tasks.
These are the two questions and the summary of their findings:
Question 1: When and how do knowledge workers experience critical thinking while using AI?
Findings: While using AI, users’ confidence—both in their own abilities and in AI—plays a key role. Higher confidence in AI performing a task is correlated with less critical thinking, while greater confidence in one’s own skills and ability to evaluate AI outputs is correlated with more critical thinking. This supports concerns that increased AI accessibility may lead to over-reliance. However, when users actively assess and refine AI outputs, they engage in more critical thinking, particularly to improve quality and avoid potential errors. The type of task (creation, advice, or information) did not directly impact perceived critical thinking when using GenAI.
Question 2: When and why do they feel AI increases or decreases their critical thinking effort?
Findings: AI generally reduces perceived cognitive effort, especially for those who trust its capabilities. Workers who are confident in their own expertise often find that evaluating AI outputs can be more demanding. This is because they apply their critical thinking skills to ensure that the AI’s outputs are accurate and meet their specific needs.
Final remarks
GenAI brings new challenges to knowledge workers as they incorporate AI-generated text into their workflows. While GenAI can improve efficiency, it may also lead to overreliance on the tool and a decline in independent problem-solving skills. Higher confidence in GenAI’s capabilities leads to less critical thinking effort.
For example, constant scrolling through social media could shorten our attention span and reduce our ability to focus, while the over use of search engines could reduce our ability to remember information.
Therefore, the research team suggests that GenAI tools should be designed to improve our abilities to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information effectively. If we rely too much on technology without using it wisely, it can actually make our thinking skills weaker.
Read more:
Microsoft research: “The Impact of Generative AI on Critical Thinking: Self-Reported Reductions in Cognitive Effort and Confidence Effects From a
Survey of Knowledge Workers”
