Course

AI & Independent Thinking Course

AI can help you maintain your cognitive edge – if you use it with maximum effect. We explore the difference between taking the time to critically evaluate thoughts (‘cognitive friction’), which builds cognitive ‘muscles’ - and cognitive offload, which can allow them to wither.

Teams from £1,850 / $2,960 UK|EMEA / USA
Team enquiry

Pathways:

  1. INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTOR
AI & Independent Thinking Course
Thinking Skills
Trustpilot

Course outcomes

  • Participants will understand the important difference between cognitive friction and cognitive offload, allowing them to see how each can affect their thinking skills. They will develop a systematic approach to deciding which tasks, or parts of tasks, to delegate to AI and which to retain.
  • Participants will be able to make smarter use of AI, improving productivity while maintaining the independent thinking, judgement, and problem-solving skills that give them competitive edge.

Who is this course for?

AI & Independent Thinking is the perfect course for anyone using AI in their daily work who wants guidance on how to remain productive and competitive. Keeping humans in the loop, the course is especially useful for those under pressure to make productivity gains by increasing their use of AI tools.

Delivery options

Group size: Workshops, from 2-hour sessions to full-day, for small (up to 12), medium (up to 25), or large groups up to 50. High-impact keynote sessions of up to 90 minutes, for audiences from 51 to 200+ participants.

Measurement: We monitor progress to levels 1 and 2 of the Kirkpatrick model, and can support your internal monitoring through to levels 3 and 4. We have the capacity to use milestone charts, post-training action programmes, and coaching.

Course content

Cognitive friction versus cognitive offload

Understanding the difference between the two and the different effects they have.

Delegation framework

Using existing understanding of the principles of delegation and transferring them to the AI context.

Triaging 1

Identifying which whole tasks can be delegated to AI.

Triaging 2

Finding ways to break whole tasks down into constituent stages – and triaging those stages, looking for components that can be offloaded to AI.

Practice

Case studies and examples.

Learning routes

Choose your learning route

For teams

Teams and organisations

Talk to us about team training for your organisation.

UK|EMEA / USA from £1,850 / $2,960

Frequently asked questions

Why do we need a course about AI & Independent Thinking?

As organisations increasingly adopt similar types of AI, their competitive edge lies in the capabilities of the people who use it. Using AI in a thoughtless or automatic way can have a negative effect on thinking, understanding, and recall of work accomplished. Using it smartly keeps people sharp and their organisation competitive.

How is the distinction between cognitive friction and offload grounded in research?

Much research (eg Qiuhan et al, 2026) focuses on the idea that delegating core thinking to AI (‘cognitive offloading’) takes different forms depending on how much cognitive agency is present. In other words, some people use AI to develop their own thinking, others use it as a substitute. MIT’s Committee on AI Use in Teaching looked at the relationship between AI and learning and noted that: “Getting the right answer from a chatbot can trigger cognitive surrender, where students fall back on AI at the first hint of struggle.”

Does the course on AI & Independent Thinking encourage people to reduce their use of AI?

No. The course is about smarter, not less, use. Participants learn to identify where AI can save time and improve productivity, while recognising where independent thinking remains valuable. By deciding which tasks, or parts of tasks, to delegate to AI, they can make effective use of the technology without unnecessarily sacrificing opportunities to develop and maintain their own thinking skills.

What is the difference between this course and the Critical Thinking Skills Training Course?

The Critical Thinking Skills Training Course develops broad skills for analysing information, challenging assumptions, overcoming bias, and making better decisions. AI & Independent Thinking focuses specifically on how using AI affects our cognitive abilities. It helps participants recognise when delegating thinking to AI is beneficial and when retaining mental effort is important for maintaining their skills.

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