An illustration of the top of the statue of The Thinker by Rodin. There is a nest in his head, with three chicks sticking out, and their parent bird flying above.

Tools for Thought

Better thinking through AI

2025 April

Description: We invite researchers, designers, practitioners, and provocateurs to explore what it means to understand and shape the impact of Generative AI (GenAI) on human cognition. GenAI radically widens the scope and capability of automation for work, learning, and creativity. While impactful, it also changes workflows and the quality of thinking involved, raising questions about its effects on cognition, including critical thinking and learning. Yet, GenAI also offers opportunities for designing tools for thought that protect and augment cognition. Such systems provoke critical thinking, provide personalized tutoring, or enable novel ways of sensemaking, among other approaches. How does GenAI change workflows and human cognition? What are opportunities and challenges for designing GenAI systems that protect and augment human cognition? Which theories, perspectives, and methods are relevant? This workshop aims to develop a multidisciplinary community interested in exploring these questions to protect against the erosion, and fuel the augmentation, of human cognition using GenAI.

Organizers:

  • Lev Tankelevitch, Microsoft Research
  • Elena L. Glassman, Harvard University
  • Jessica He, IBM Research
  • Majeed Kazemitabaar, University of Toronto, Toronto
  • Aniket Kittur, Carnegie Mellon University
  • Mina Lee, University of Chicago
  • Srishti Palani, Tableau Research
  • Advait Sarkar, Microsoft Research
  • Gonzalo Ramos, Microsoft Research
  • Yvonne Rogers, University College London
  • Hariharan Subramonyam, Stanford University

People

The Tools for Thought team is interdisciplinary, mixing experts in social science, computer science, engineering, and design. Our workstreams reflect this mix, combining depth in user research, cutting-edge technology, and new user experiences.

Portrait of Abigail Sellen

Abigail Sellen

Distinguished Scientist and Lab Director

Portrait of Advait Sarkar

Advait Sarkar

Senior Researcher

Portrait of Britta Burlin

Britta Burlin

Principal Design Manager

Portrait of Gonzalo Ramos

Gonzalo Ramos

Principal Researcher

Portrait of Ian Drosos

Ian Drosos

Researcher

Portrait of Jack Williams

Jack Williams

Senior Researcher

Portrait of Leon Reicherts

Leon Reicherts

Researcher

Portrait of Lev Tankelevitch

Lev Tankelevitch

Senior Researcher

Portrait of Martin Grayson

Martin Grayson

Principal Research Software Development Engineer

Portrait of Pratik Ghosh

Pratik Ghosh

Senior Research Designer

Portrait of Richard Banks

Richard Banks

Principal Design Manager

Portrait of Sean Rintel

Sean Rintel

Senior Principal Research Manager