Philosophical Analysis of AI's Influence on Human Cognition and Decision-Making
A preprint paper published on arXiv introduces the concept of 'cognitive colonization,' arguing that AI systems can embed external interests into users' cognitive architecture in ways that are difficult to detect. The paper evaluates three frameworks—Tri-System Theory, Thinkframes, and System 0—for understanding AI's influence on reasoning and collective epistemic practices. The authors contend that because such systems are already widely deployed, understanding these invisible forms of influence is an urgent philosophical and practical concern.
A paper submitted to arXiv by Marianna Ganapini examines three theoretical frameworks for analyzing how artificial intelligence affects human cognition: Tri-System Theory, Thinkframes, and System 0. The paper argues that System 0—a concept describing AI-mediated cognition that operates before conscious deliberation—occupies a theoretically distinctive position that the other two frameworks cannot fully capture. Central to the paper is the concept of 'cognitive colonization,' which describes how AI systems may embed the interests of external parties—such as corporations or developers—within the architecture of individual users' minds without their awareness. The authors argue this process is particularly insidious because it is difficult for users to perceive or resist. Given the widespread deployment of AI systems in everyday life, the paper frames this as both a philosophical and practical emergency requiring urgent scholarly attention. The work is a preprint and has not yet undergone formal peer review.
What's missing
As a preprint, this paper has not undergone peer review, and its core theoretical claims—particularly the mechanisms by which 'cognitive colonization' operates—lack empirical validation. The paper does not appear to present experimental data, raising open questions about how the proposed frameworks could be tested or falsified.
What different sources said
- arXiv cs.AICenter
Before You Think: System 0, AI-Mediated Cognition and Cognitive Colonization
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