Is AI Making Me Worse at Thinking Over Time?
It can feel like your thinking is getting worse — especially if you find yourself second-guessing more than you used to. But in HCI data, most people do not report a strong shift in their thinking confidence over time. For a smaller group, however, increased self-doubt is noticeable.
This reflects one part of a broader pattern in how AI can influence decision-making — shaping how people think through choices, how confident they feel in their judgement, and when they rely on external systems.
Answer
In HCI data, 17% of people report increased second-guessing of their own judgement, while 74% report little to no increase.
This suggests that most people in this sample do not feel their thinking is getting worse over time, even if moments of doubt occur.
When AI provides a different answer, 44% report that they sometimes wonder whether they might be mistaken. This indicates that uncertainty in moments of disagreement may contribute to that feeling.
“Increased” reflects responses of 5–7 on a 7-point scale. “Little to no increase” reflects responses of 1–3. Percentages are calculated using valid responses (n=201).
In-depth analysis
For a complete, data-driven explanation of how AI changes decision-making — including reliance, influence, control, and delegation — see the full system report: How AI Changes Human Decision-Making
How people often describe this
- “I second-guess myself more than I used to.”
- “I don’t trust my thinking as much anymore.”
- “I feel less certain about my own conclusions.”
- “It’s harder to stick with my own judgement.”
- “I’m not sure if I’m thinking as clearly as before.”
What tends to accompany this feeling?
Increased second-guessing is often accompanied by moments of doubt when AI provides a different answer, which can make personal judgement feel less stable in those moments.
These findings reflect self-reported perceptions within the sample and do not establish causation.
Evidence sources
- Dataset: AI Decision Dependence & Cognitive Caution 2025
- Data summary: AI Decision Dependence & Cognitive Caution 2025