A new study recently published by the American Psychological Association shows that the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in work can significantly affect user confidence and mastery.
According to research, people who depend heavily on AI tools such as chatbots often feel less confident in their abilities, while reducing the level of "ownership" over work results. This is especially clear when they edit or interfere less with content created by AI.
Previously, a breakthrough study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 2025 also showed that when assigning writing tasks to AI, the human brain tends to memorize less information and reduce critical thinking ability.
The new research focuses on how AI affects operating functions such as planning and decision-making. The main author, Sarah Baldeo - a research student at Middlesex University (UK), emphasizes that AI does not directly cause cognitive decline, but changes the way people allocate effort between themselves and machines.
A survey of nearly 2,000 adults participating in using AI in various work tasks, from planning to processing incomplete information. The results showed that the level of confidence varies depending on how AI is used. The more dependent users are, the less they believe in their own independent reasoning ability.
Conversely, people who actively edit, verify and personalize AI-generated results have higher levels of confidence and feel that they are truly "authors" of the job. A noteworthy point from the study is that men tend to be more dependent on AI than women.
One of the biggest trade-offs pointed out is between speed and depth. AI helps complete work faster, but many people admit they no longer think as carefully as before.
I received the answer faster, but I think I didn't think as deeply as usual," a study participant said.
Although it brings clear performance benefits, AI also contains risks such as creating misinformation or "illusions". Therefore, experts recommend that users verify and adjust the content before use.
In the context of AI increasingly deeply present in the workplace, even moving towards fully automated systems, understanding the psychological impact of this technology becomes important.
Factors such as confidence and sense of responsibility not only affect work efficiency, but also determine the quality of each individual's professional life.
