Generative Chatbots AIn’t Experts: Exploring Cognitive and Metacognitive Limitations that Hinder Expertise in Generative Chatbots.

Journal article

Trent N. Cash, Daniel M. Oppenheimer
Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition, vol. 13(4), 2024, pp. 490-494

Cite

APA Click to copy
Cash, T. N., & Oppenheimer, D. M. (2024). Generative Chatbots AIn’t Experts: Exploring Cognitive and Metacognitive Limitations that Hinder Expertise in Generative Chatbots. Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition, 13(4), 490–494. https://doi.org/10.1037/mac0000202

Chicago/Turabian Click to copy
Cash, Trent N., and Daniel M. Oppenheimer. “Generative Chatbots AIn’t Experts: Exploring Cognitive and Metacognitive Limitations That Hinder Expertise in Generative Chatbots.” Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition 13, no. 4 (2024): 490–494.

MLA Click to copy
Cash, Trent N., and Daniel M. Oppenheimer. “Generative Chatbots AIn’t Experts: Exploring Cognitive and Metacognitive Limitations That Hinder Expertise in Generative Chatbots.” Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition, vol. 13, no. 4, 2024, pp. 490–94, doi:10.1037/mac0000202.

BibTeX Click to copy

@article{trent2024a,
  title = {Generative Chatbots AIn’t Experts: Exploring Cognitive and Metacognitive Limitations that Hinder Expertise in Generative Chatbots.},
  year = {2024},
  issue = {4},
  journal = {Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition},
  pages = {490-494},
  volume = {13},
  doi = {10.1037/mac0000202},
  author = {Cash, Trent N. and Oppenheimer, Daniel M.}
}

Abstract

Despite their ability to answer complex questions, it is unclear whether generative chatbots should be considered experts in any domain. There are several important cognitive and metacognitive differences that separate human experts from generative chatbots. First, human experts’ domain knowledge is deep, efficiently structured, adaptive, and intuitive – whereas generative chatbots’ knowledge is shallow and inflexible, leading to errors that human experts would rarely make. Second, generative chatbots lack access to critical metacognitive capacities that allow humans to detect errors in their own thinking and communicate this information to others. Though generative chatbots may surpass human experts in the future – for now, the nature of their knowledge structures and metacognition prevent them from reaching true expertise.

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