How can we teach users to think critically with AI, not just rely on it? ??
Markus Bink’s PhD project is tackling this question, and his ECIR 2026 Doctoral Consortium paper, “Building Resilient Users: Towards Adaptive Support for Enhanced Digital Literacy in Information Access Systems”, gives a sneak peek into the directions of his work.
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As LLMs like ChatGPT are increasingly embedded in search and information systems, they can simplify things for users but also risk eroding users’ critical thinking, a phenomenon known as The ChatGPT Effect.
Markus’ research explores adaptive support to help users:
- Engage more critically with AI-generated content
- Develop meta-cognitive awareness and lateral reading strategies
- Gradually internalize critical reasoning skills as system support decreases
Through user studies and adaptive interface prototyping, his work ultimately aims to cultivate human-centered information resilience, shifting the focus from algorithmic detection of misinformation to building users’ critical reasoning skills.
? Attending ECIR 2026? Let’s connect in Delft ?? to discuss digital literacy and the future of AI-assisted information systems! ?
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