Human-AI Interaction
Frequent AI tool use correlates with weaker critical thinking, mediated by cognitive offloading
In a 2025 study published in Societies, researchers found that people who used AI tools often had lower critical thinking abilities. The link appeared to run through cognitive offloading, the habit of handing mental work to a tool. The study drew on surveys and in-depth interviews with 666 people across a range of age groups and education levels.
What did the study find?
The researchers found a significant negative correlation between frequent AI tool use and critical thinking. People who used AI tools more often tended to show weaker critical thinking abilities. Cognitive offloading mediated the link. The researchers used ANOVA, a test that compares groups, and correlation analysis. They also read interview transcripts for recurring themes.
Who showed the strongest pattern?
Younger participants depended on AI tools more and had lower critical thinking scores than older participants. People with higher educational attainment showed better critical thinking skills, regardless of how often they used AI.
What is cognitive offloading?
Cognitive offloading is the habit of letting an outside tool handle mental work, such as remembering a fact or working through a choice. In this study, cognitive offloading mediated the link between frequent AI use and lower critical thinking.
Did education matter?
Education mattered in one clear way. People with higher educational attainment showed better critical thinking skills, regardless of AI usage. The study reports this as an association, not as evidence that education alone explains the difference.
Did the study prove that AI use causes weaker critical thinking?
No, the study does not prove cause. The abstract reports a negative correlation, not proof of cause. Cognitive offloading sat between the two, but other factors could still play a role. The study shows how AI use and critical thinking appear together in this group.
Limits and what's next
The study used surveys and in-depth interviews with 666 participants from a range of ages and education levels. The abstract does not name the country or setting where the researchers recruited participants. It also reports no independent replication. Because the result is a correlation, it shows an association rather than a causal chain. The authors call for educational strategies that encourage critical engagement with AI tools.
Source: Michael Gerlich, “AI Tools in Society: Impacts on Cognitive Offloading and the Future of Critical Thinking,” Societies, 2025.