By Judith Aquino
Publication Date: 2026-08-18 05:16:00
As AI absorbs a widening array of tasks previously handled by workers, discussions are emerging about the role and value of human judgment.
In an unpublished 2025 survey by IBM’s Institute for Business Value (IBV), 60% of executives across industries said they believed generative AI would make problem-solving skills more important. But many anticipated a weakening of core skills: 60% expected decision-making to erode, 51% foresaw diminished critical thinking and 41% anticipated an erosion in ethical judgment.
Research supports these concerns. A Wharton School study on cognitive surrender shows that when AI systems are available, users tend to accept their outputs with little scrutiny and greater confidence, even when those outputs are wrong. Managers are also less likely to carefully review documents they believe were produced by an “AI employee,” according to a study by Boston Consulting Group and a Boston University professor who studies how AI impacts workers. At a…