🔴 💻 **AI Tools in Society: Impacts on Cognitive Offloading and the Future of Critical Thinking**

_“This study highlights how AI-driven virtual influencers shape consumer behaviour and decision-making processes, potentially reducing the need for independent critical evaluation. The reliance on AI-generated content can diminish users’ critical thinking abilities, as they may accept information and recommendations without thorough scrutiny. The phenomenon of virtual influencers acting as trusted sources of information mirrors the trust participants in our study place in AI tools, leading to reduced critical engagement.”_

Gerlich, Michael. 2025. “AI Tools in Society: Impacts on Cognitive Offloading and the Future of Critical Thinking” Societies 15, no. 1: 6. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc15010006.

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