# Protecting Human Cognition in the Age of AI

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2502.12447 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2502.12447/

## Key facts

- Cited by 12 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 18 Feb 2025.

## Built on by (most cited first, 12 of 12)

- [AI Agents Push Humans Out of the Loop](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2608.23642/) (2026)
- [Investigating the Effects of LLM Use on Critical Thinking Under Time Constraints: Access Timing and Time Availability](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2603.08849/) (2026)
- [Human-AI Interactions: Cognitive, Behavioral, and Emotional Impacts](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2510.17753/) (2025)
- [What if AI systems weren't chatbots?](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2605.07896/) (2026)
- [AI in the Writing Process: How Purposeful AI Support Fosters Student Writing](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2506.20595/) (2025)
- [Understanding Critical Thinking in Generative Artificial Intelligence Use: Development, Validation, and Correlates of the Critical Thinking in AI Use Scale](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2512.12413/) (2025)
- [The Anti-Ouroboros Effect: Emergent Resilience in Large Language Models from Recursive Selective Feedback](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2509.10509/) (2025)
- [MetaCues: Enabling Critical Engagement with Generative AI for Information Seeking and Sensemaking](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2603.19634/) (2026)
- [Access Timing as Scaffolding: A Reinforcement Learning Approach to GenAI in Education](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2605.15850/) (2026)
- [Do Not Copy/Paste: Soft Barriers for Copying in AI-Assisted Programming](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2608.22638/) (2026)
- [Investigating the Impacts of Generative AI on Information Seeking](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2609.14638/) (2026)
- [Why machines will still not rule the world](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2610.11424/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

The rapid adoption of Generative AI (GenAI) is significantly reshaping human cognition, influencing how we engage with information, think, reason, and learn. This paper synthesizes existing literature on GenAI's effects on different aspects of human cognition. Drawing on Krathwohl's revised Bloom's Taxonomy and Dewey's conceptualization of reflective thought, we examine the mechanisms through which GenAI is affecting the development of different cognitive abilities. We focus on novices, such as students, who may lack both domain knowledge and an understanding of effective human-AI interaction. Accordingly, we provide implications for rethinking and designing educational experiences that foster critical thinking and deeper cognitive engagement.