Study: AI access significantly reduces 'I don't know' responses

VERA Brief

AI-generated. Grounded in the article and its cited sources.

A study found that immediate access to AI answers significantly reduced people's tendency to say "I don't know," even when the AI provided incorrect information. This suggests AI accessibility may lower tolerance for uncertainty, regardless of answer accuracy.

Key facts

• Access to AI answers dramatically decreased individuals' willingness to admit uncertainty.
• The rate of "I don't know" responses dropped from 44 percent to 3 percent in one experimental condition.
• Participants using AI reported increased confidence, but their accuracy was lower than those who did not use AI.
• The study suggests a correlation between AI accessibility and a reduced tolerance for uncertainty.
• This effect persisted even when the AI provided incorrect information.