Automation bias

Build AI Systems for Discernment, Not Approval - Angel Ortmann Lee, Duolingo

Build AI Systems for Discernment, Not Approval - Angel Ortmann Lee, Duolingo

The talk addresses the critical flaw in human-in-the-loop AI: humans often surrender cognitive effort, leading to "automation bias" rather than true discernment. Through a Duolingo English Test case study and various interaction design examples, it demonstrates how engineering the human-AI interface—rather than just the model or oversight—can elicit critical thinking, generate high-quality data, and foster a virtuous cycle of AI improvement.