Paper Number
ICIS2026-3161
Paper Type
Short
Abstract
The powerful capabilities of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) applications enable working professionals to collaborate with these applications and offload cognitive effort during task execution, to improve work efficiency and performance. However, excessive cognitive offloading to GenAI may reduce users’ task engagement, weaken independent problem-solving, and foster long-term reliance. To better understand this user behavior, our study explores antecedents and outcomes of cognitive offloading in human-GenAI collaboration, in the context of academically focused knowledge work. We conducted interviews with 45 professionals at a business school within a U.S. public university and proposed an inductive model linking antecedents and outcomes of cognitive offloading in human-GenAI collaboration from our data. Theoretically, our study provides a preliminary conceptualization of cognitive offloading in human-GenAI collaboration and explains the rationales and consequences underlying users’ cognitive offloading decisions. Practically, our findings offer GenAI users with valuable implications for collaborating with GenAI efficiently and effectively in work settings.
Recommended Citation
Xu, Haoyue; Xue, Yue; and Tarafdar, Monideepa, "Antecedents and Outcomes of Cognitive Offloading in Human-GenAI Collaboration" (2026). ICIS 2026 Proceedings. 28.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/icis2026/user_engage/user_engage/28
Antecedents and Outcomes of Cognitive Offloading in Human-GenAI Collaboration
The powerful capabilities of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) applications enable working professionals to collaborate with these applications and offload cognitive effort during task execution, to improve work efficiency and performance. However, excessive cognitive offloading to GenAI may reduce users’ task engagement, weaken independent problem-solving, and foster long-term reliance. To better understand this user behavior, our study explores antecedents and outcomes of cognitive offloading in human-GenAI collaboration, in the context of academically focused knowledge work. We conducted interviews with 45 professionals at a business school within a U.S. public university and proposed an inductive model linking antecedents and outcomes of cognitive offloading in human-GenAI collaboration from our data. Theoretically, our study provides a preliminary conceptualization of cognitive offloading in human-GenAI collaboration and explains the rationales and consequences underlying users’ cognitive offloading decisions. Practically, our findings offer GenAI users with valuable implications for collaborating with GenAI efficiently and effectively in work settings.
Comments
14_User_behavior