Critical thinking

Critical thinking is not a thinking model as such but instead is a foundational skill.

AI output often sounds authoritative but is very often flawed, biased, or based on hallucinations. We have to be able to assess whether the generated content is sound, logical and supported by evidence. So, it is more important than ever to critically review documents before submitting them, or before accepting them as factual.

The key skills involved in critical thinking are:

Evaluative Skills
The ability to assess the credibility, relevance, and strength of evidence or reasoning

• Examples: Vetting AI-generated insights, assessing stakeholder feedback, validating assumptions in business cases.

Interpretive and Contextual Skills
The ability to consider arguments within a wider context, to understand nuance and depth. This is, arguably, particular important in global organisations or with customers from different cultures and countries.

• Examples: Translating data into insight, adapting strategy for different markets, resolving ethical dilemmas.

Assumption Testing and Inference
The ability to identify unstated assumptions in both AI output and human arguments.

• Examples: Assessing whether a point is based on incorrect assumptions, considering whether the points raised in a paper would change if the key conditions stated were changed.

Reflective and Metacognitive Skills
The ability to think about your own thinking! That is, questioning your assumptions, biases, and reasoning strategies.

• Examples: Learning from failed projects, improving decision frameworks, supporting innovation culture.

Constructive Skepticism and Inquisitiveness
The mindset that drives the application of all the above skills. The ability to ask critical questions, challenge groupthink, etc

• Examples: Leading critical discussions, reviewing AI-generated insights, stress-testing plans.

So critical thinking is essential in an ai world. Indeed, the skills mentioned above are exactly those that some people are naming as the differentiators in an AI world.