Follow the Rabbit Cognitive Debt: Are we mortgaging our thinking to AI with John V Willshire
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Jul 9, 2025 Join John Willshire, a strategic design expert from the UK, as he delves into the intriguing concept of cognitive debt—the notion that quickly sourcing answers can cloud our understanding and decision-making. He reveals how organizations often prioritize speed over depth, leading to a reliance on opaque AI tools. The discussion dives into the ethical implications of AI and the pressing need for critical thinking in our tech-driven workplaces. Willshire critiques the myths surrounding AI's capabilities and urges listeners to consider the true cost of sacrificing understanding for convenience.
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Cognitive Debt Explained
- Cognitive debt is the cost of skipping thinking to get quick answers and leaving understanding unpaid.
- Like technical debt, it accumulates and can bite organizations later when decisions need justification.
Information Is Light, Not Liquid
- John argues information is like light (pixels), not liquid, so each bit matters differently.
- Treating data as interchangeable 'drops' blinds us to what specific information actually contributes.
Tune Your Thinking Filters
- Adjust sensing, conceptual and decision filters to change what your team notices and how it acts.
- Design what you observe and which options you consider before leaning on AI outputs.
