Online experiment · 2021

To Trust or to Think: Cognitive Forcing Functions Can Reduce Overreliance on AI in AI-assisted Decision-making

Buçinca Z, Malaya MB, Gajos KZ

What it found

Designs that made people think before seeing the AI's answer reduced over-reliance on the AI more than simple explanations did. People liked those designs least.

Where the evidence stops

One decision task online. The most effective designs were the least popular, a real trade-off.

How it shapes Pursue

Pursue

Pursue sometimes asks one question before offering a step, so the person's own thinking comes first.

A design input, not evidence that Pursue works.

Cited in

  1. 01Should I trust an AI's advice about how to spend my day?Trust it as far as it has earned, and no further. Across six experiments, people followed advice more readily when they believed it came from an algorithm rather than a person (Logg et al., 2019), yet watching an automated aid make mistakes made them distrust even a reliable one (Dzindolet et al., 2003).Trust and uncertainty

Tre-Up is built on this research.

Pursue, the AI inside Tre-Up, is designed to notice when your day starts to slip and offer one small next step. The iOS app is in development. Invitations go out in small groups; leave your email and we will contact you when yours is ready.

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