Overreliance on AI Makes You Underconfident At Work, New Study Warns

Does using AI at work erode your confidence? A new study reveals how passive AI reliance can impact your judgment and idea ownership. Learn how to use AI effectively.

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A recent study shows that heavy use of artificial intelligence tools in the workplace might not only hinder people’s ability to think, but it can also affect their confidence in their own judgment and their sense of ownership over their ideas. The study was published in the journal Technology, Mind, and Behaviour.

Study Design

The research was led by Sarah Baldeo, an MBA and PhD candidate in AI and neuroscience at Middlesex University in England. It included 1,923 adult participants from the United States and Canada.

They were asked to use commercial AI programmes to complete 10 simulated workplace tasks, such as planning with incomplete information, working with unclear data, and explaining the reasoning behind strategic decisions.

AI Dependence

After finishing the tasks, 58% of participants claimed that the AI had done most of the thinking for them. This was especially true with tasks involving planning and sequencing. These participants also reported lower confidence in their reasoning skills and felt less ownership of their ideas.

Many admitted they preferred using AI for speed, even if it meant thinking less deeply. Men showed slightly higher levels of AI reliance compared to women.

Active Use Benefits

However, not all users experienced a decrease in confidence. Participants who questioned, adjusted, or rejected AI-generated suggestions felt more confident in their thinking and had a stronger sense of ownership over their ideas.

Baldeo pointed out that the issue was not the use of AI itself, but rather the level of passive or active reliance on it.

Key Insight

The researchers explained that people who remained mentally engaged while using AI were more likely to maintain confidence in their reasoning. On the other hand, those who simply accepted AI outputs without significant evaluation were more likely to feel disconnected from the decision-making process.

Cautions Raised

The study is correlational, meaning it identifies connections but does not prove direct cause and effect. Nonetheless, it raises concerns about excessive dependence on AI tools in professional settings.

The researchers suggest that AI systems could be designed to encourage users to think critically, question outputs, and explore alternatives rather than automatically accepting answers.

Practical Advice

Baldeo recommends using AI as a support tool rather than replacing thinking. She suggests trying to solve problems on one’s own before turning to AI, refining prompts multiple times to engage more deeply with the task and occasionally taking breaks from AI use to avoid overreliance. She also warns against treating AI like a human partner, as this may increase dependency.

She emphasized that the main risk is not a loss of intelligence, but a reduction in deep thinking that leads to original ideas. Therefore, maintaining a balance between using AI as a helper and relying on one’s own judgment is important for preserving creativity and confidence in the workplace.