Human beings are entering a state of cognitive surrender where they stop questioning AI even when the machine is obviously wrong.
AI outputs are increasingly acting as a System 3 that shuts down both human intuition and deliberate reasoning. People often adopt AI suggestions with minimal scrutiny because the machine's confidence mimics authority. This behavior persists even in tasks where the person has the expertise to know the AI is hallucinating. The phenomenon represents a fundamental shift from using tools to delegating the act of thinking itself. Society may soon face a crisis of competence as people lose the habit of verifying information and simply accept automated answers.
Thinking—Fast, Slow, and Artificial: How AI is Reshaping Human Reasoning and the Rise of Cognitive Surrender
SSRN · 6097646
People increasingly consult generative artificial intelligence (AI) while reasoning. As AI becomes embedded in daily thought, what becomes of human judgment? We introduce Tri-System Theory, extending dual-process accounts of reasoning by positing System 3: artificial cognition that operates outside the brain. System 3 can supplement or supplant internal processes, introducing novel cognitive pathways. A key prediction of the theory is "cognitive surrender"-adopting AI outputs with minimal scruti