A new study published this month by the American Psychological Association reveals that heavy reliance on AI tools for workplace tasks correlates with reduced confidence in personal abilities and less sense of ownership over work. Researchers observed that users who rarely modify AI outputs feel less confident in their independent reasoning. The findings highlight trade-offs between speed and depth in AI-assisted work.
Sarah Baldeo, a Ph.D. candidate in AI and neuroscience at Middlesex University in England, led the study involving nearly 2,000 adults. Participants used AI for tasks such as prioritizing projects by deadlines, explaining strategies, and developing plans with incomplete information. They then self-reported their confidence levels, sense of ownership, reliance on AI, and extent of modifications to AI-generated outputs. Baldeo emphasized that the results do not indicate AI causes cognitive decline but instead show variability in how users balance effort between themselves and AI under conditions of convenience and competence. People with greater AI reliance reported lower confidence in reasoning independently, and most made few changes to AI outputs. Those who did modify the results felt more confident and authorship over their work. Men reported higher AI reliance than women. One participant noted, 'I got an answer faster, but I don't think I thought as deeply as I normally would.' This underscores a key trade-off: AI provides quick responses but may lack depth or accuracy, as chatbots can hallucinate facts requiring verification. The research builds on a 2025 MIT study showing reduced information retention and critical thinking when outsourcing writing to AI. As AI agents increasingly handle autonomous tasks in offices, such tools may extend workdays and affect mental attitudes toward work quality.
