CITATION — REFERENCE ENTRY

AI Tools in Society: Impacts on Cognitive Offloading and the Future of Critical Thinking — Societies

Revision 419c5558-a92c-419b-bfcc-5f1f9ca6485c · 5/22/2026, 2:38:05 AM UTC

Key: gerlich-2025-ai-tools-cognitive-offloading
Authors: Gerlich, Michael
Issued: 2025-1-3
Type: article-journal
Container: Societies
Volume: 15
Issue: 1
Pages: 6
DOI: 10.3390/soc15010006
URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/15/1/6

Raw CSL JSON

{
  "DOI": "10.3390/soc15010006",
  "URL": "https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/15/1/6",
  "page": "6",
  "type": "article-journal",
  "issue": "1",
  "title": "AI Tools in Society: Impacts on Cognitive Offloading and the Future of Critical Thinking",
  "author": [
    {
      "given": "Michael",
      "family": "Gerlich"
    }
  ],
  "issued": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2025,
        1,
        3
      ]
    ]
  },
  "volume": "15",
  "container-title": "Societies"
}

Claims

main-finding

In a study of 666 UK participants, frequent AI tool usage showed a significant negative correlation with critical thinking abilities, mediated by increased cognitive offloading; younger participants showed higher AI dependence and lower critical thinking scores than older participants.

"The findings revealed a significant negative correlation between frequent AI tool usage and critical thinking abilities, mediated by increased cognitive offloading. Younger participants exhibited higher dependence on AI tools and lower critical thinking scores compared to older participants."

Quote language: en
negative-correlation-age

A cross-sectional survey of 666 UK participants found that more frequent AI tool use was negatively correlated with self-reported critical thinking, mediated by cognitive offloading, and that younger participants showed higher AI dependence and lower critical thinking scores.

"The findings revealed a significant negative correlation between frequent AI tool usage and critical thinking abilities, mediated by increased cognitive offloading. Younger participants exhibited higher dependence on AI tools and lower critical thinking scores compared to older participants."

Locator: section: Abstract · Quote language: en
self-report-limitation

The author acknowledges that the study relies on self-reported measures and may be affected by sample bias.

"This study's limitations include its reliance on self-reported measures and the potential for sample bias."

Locator: section: Conclusion · Quote language: en

Available in

en - English