per recently published Microsoft study:

The Impact of Generative AI on Critical Thinking: Self-Reported Reductions in Cognitive Effort and Confidence Effects From a Survey of Knowledge Workers.

The rise of Generative AI (GenAI) in knowledge workflows raises questions about its impact on critical thinking skills and practices. We survey 319 knowledge workers to investigate 1) when and how they perceive the enaction of critical thinking when using GenAI, and 2) when and why GenAI affects their effort to do so. Participants shared 936 first-hand examples of using GenAI in work tasks. Quantitatively, when considering both task- and user-specific factors, a user’s task-specific self-confidence and confidence in GenAI are predictive of whether critical thinking is enacted and the effort of doing so in GenAI-assisted tasks. Specifically, higher confidence in GenAI is associated with less critical thinking, while higher self-confidence is associated with more critical thinking. Qualitatively, GenAI shifts the nature of critical thinking toward information verification, response integration, and task stewardship. Our insights reveal new design challenges and opportunities for developing GenAI tools for knowledge work.

entire study at:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/res...e-effects-from-a-survey-of-knowledge-workers/

I had to force reload it a couple of times before It would show up. 502 gateway errors, but I vpn'd in from Norway...don't know if that had any effect on it..

 

I steer clear of anything with the acronym "AI" attached to it. Simply because what they are calling "AI" is really just self propelled kiosks of amassed internet junk and flotsam. Since we all know (or should know by now) that the "internet" is a product of human "intelligence", and that this so-called "AI" can never be more than the sum of what the "internet" has to offer, you can deduct that there is a great deal of pure shit thrown at those "AI" walls that sticks. Therefore, when looking to find information, I find it more productive to simply use a search engine and use my own brain to sift thru a few results and find what is pertinent than to rely on a self propelled shit gathering tool that will maybe 50% of the time spew forth nonsense from those shit stained walls.

 

One does not need a study
To logically extrapolate
That anything that stiffles
The use of one's mind
......stiffles one's mind

 

Last edited: May 5, 2025

I can't download the pdf, maybe you can answer some questions if you have.

Would people prone to relinquishing critical thinking to GenAi also be likely to do so when presented by a hyper-confident human or another authoritative source?
Conversely, would those who understand the inherent flaws of the technology and maintain their critical thinking through scepticism and information verification actually be able to improve their critical thinking skills while also leveraging the productivity benefits of GenAi systems?

These are valid concerns, and I'm glad they're being researched and discussed. However, I would assert that the resurgence and utilisation of populism and demagoguery are having a far greater impact on the general public's critical thinking skills than anything happening with current iterations of so called "AI".

 

Ooo! Pictures please !

 

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/res...5/01/lee_2025_ai_critical_thinking_survey.pdf

direct link to pdf...

 

ai is a tool that can promote "populism and demagoguery" under the guise of human authority or even friendly chatbots.

Think of it as an amplifier, that goes to 11..

 

lets face it most people's attention span has been reduced to 40 characters or 40 seconds, whichever comes first. An AI faces almost no resistance to anyone younger than 35, they have no natural defenses, they have been immersed in the internet since birth. They think its "normal".

AI is a cheatcode for life... the question though really is....

"Who is cheating whom?"

 

I do use "Al" (as I call it ) for quick checking technical things, not demagogy , and I find it useful for that. However, I wouldn't ask it anything political, and one should check the quick-checked things anyway as Al always spews out a mistake or two. Recent big mistake: recommending Intel chipset motherboard for AMD Ryzen. It makes you wonder how accurate it is on other things and you absolutely still have to use your brain. Can't live without the brain, man.

I'm sure it'll get better at its job, though. And I'm afraid people using it for checking political stuff could get easily manipulated with it.

 

In passing, Microsoft collects personal data, which, rest assured, is also evaluated. After the survey, Microsoft's data programs will have even more data than before. Data is the industry's new gold. Currently, all those who call up and use the AI are training the AI themselves.

Spoiler: 2. What is your age range?

2. What is your age range?
(a) 18-24
(b) 25-34
(c) 35-44
(d) 45-54
(e) 55 or over
(f) Prefer not to say

Spoiler: 3. What is your gender identity?

3. What is your gender identity?
(a) Man
(b) Woman
(c) Non-binary/gender diverse
(d) Prefer not to say

Spoiler: Which of these best describes your work?

4. What is currently your primary country of residence? [Free
response]
5. What is your job title? [Free response]
6. Which of these best describes your work?
(a) Military
(b) Transportation and Material Moving
(c) Production
(d) Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
(e) Construction and Extraction
(f) Farming, Fishing, and Forestry
(g) Office and Administrative Support
(h) Sales and Related
(i) Personal Care and Service
(j) Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance
(k) Food Preparation and Serving Related
(l) Protective Service
(m) Healthcare Support
(n) Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
(o) Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
(p) Educational Instruction and Library
(q) Legal
(r) Community and Social Service
(s) Life, Physical, and Social Science
(t) Architecture and Engineering
(u) Computer and Mathematical
(v) Business and Financial Operations
(w) Management
(x) Other: [Free response]

 

You cheeky b... ahem... moderator

 

I beleive in the common parlance, that is referred to as a "Chibson", those unique hybrid guitars grown in s.e. asian botanical laboratory, now a musical instrument factory.

one more neck and you get a free bow tie...

 

as mental acuity declines from non-use, all topics will be easily manipulated. mankind has fallen, they just haven't noticed. I call it Internet Poisoning. Whats the lethal Dose 50 for toddler with an iphone? how many hours of screen time before the cerebellum becomes merely a dopamine pump?

its a slow ramp to insanity, and most are very far up the incline and haven't even noticed that they are no longer on level ground.

 

Noooooo... I CAN'T UNSEE THAT... you'll pay my therapy...

 

Deep Seek is fucking impressive if you ask me. Makes ChatGPT look like Pacman when in comparison Deep Seek is something like GTA 5. The Chinese are already way too much ahead. Nuff said.
Cheers

 

Not from me they aren't. And I would dare say neither from most smarter folks on the internet.

 

You are correct, it won't change as long as the apathy of the common people continues.

 

A good watch on the subject

Humans are just the goo phase of intelligence. Many creatures have intelligence apart from apex predators. This new era of intelligence is evolving past humans capacity. Not saying good or bad just taking a outside perspective and removing human emotions on the evolution of things.

 

https://www.rollingstone.com/cultur...ns-destroying-human-relationships-1235330175/

It's a sad read, it's about LLMs feeding into people's delusions. Do OpenAI et al take responsibility? Fuck no. They can't even explain how the LLMs even work in the end. Yet these machines are being shoehorned into everything.