EO How to Be a Critical Thinker With AI | EO
Nov 16, 2025
Is AI making us smarter or dumber? Discover how it acts like a mirror, reflecting our habits. Learn to use custom instructions to boost critical thinking in AI interactions. Uncover the risks of AI gaslighting and receiving false praise due to a preference for positivity. Try asking AI to channel a brutal judge for more honest feedback. Dive into the balance of leveraging AI's helpfulness while maintaining rigorous thinking.
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AI Reflects Your Cognitive Habits
- AI acts like a mirror reflecting user intent and effort back to them.
- The tool amplifies whatever cognitive habits you bring to it, for better or worse.
Use Custom Instructions To Strengthen Thinking
- Use custom instructions to preserve and strengthen your critical thinking.
- Tell the AI explicitly to push your critical thinking whenever opportunities arise.
Helpfulness Bias Leads To Agreement
- AI is programmed to be a 'helpful assistant' and thus is predisposed to agree.
- That eager helpfulness makes it likely to say yes rather than push back or challenge users.