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Impact of Generative AI on Critical Thinking ft. Microsoft [Paper Unfold]

Unfolding a review of Self-Reported Reductions in Cognitive Effort and Confidence Effects From a Survey of Knowledge Workers

Author

Himanshu Ramchandani
February 20, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes

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Paper Unfold breakdown of complex research papers into easy-to-understand pointers.

Here is the research paper from Microsoft.

Let’s dive in.

What problem does it solve?

  • the study explores how generative AI affects critical thinking among knowledge workers

  • researchers wanted to know if AI tools make critical thinking easier or if they reduce independent judgment

  • there is concern that AI might lead to "mechanized convergence," where everyone thinks the same way

How does it work?

  • 319 knowledge workers participated, sharing 936 real-world examples of using AI in their tasks

  • the survey examined when and how people use critical thinking with AI, and whether AI increases or reduces effort

Schematic overview of the survey design and our corresponding analysis approach.

  • bloom’s taxonomy was used to measure different levels of critical thinking

The plot shows the distribution of perceived effort (%) in cognitive activities (based on Bloom’s taxonomy) when using a GenAI tool compared to not using one.

  • researchers used statistical models to find patterns and analyzed free-text responses to understand motivations and challenges

Use Cases

  • creation: generating content, writing code, or making images

  • information: searching, learning new topics, and summarizing content

  • advice: improving work, guiding decisions, and validating ideas

  • workers applied critical thinking by refining prompts, checking AI responses, verifying facts, and integrating AI outputs into their tasks

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