Beyond Isolation: Towards an Interactionist Perspective on Human Cognitive Bias and AI Bias

Abstract: Isolated perspectives have often paved the way for great scientific discoveries. However, many breakthroughs only emerged when moving away from singular views towards interactions. Discussions on AI typically treat human and AI bias as distinct challenges, leaving their dynamic interplay and compounding potential largely unexplored. Recent research suggests that biased AI can amplify human cognitive biases, while well-calibrated systems might help mitigate them. In this position paper, I advocate for transcending beyond separate treatment of human and AI biases and instead focus on their interaction effects. I argue that a comprehensive framework, one that maps (compound human-AI) biases to mitigation strategies, is essential for understanding and protecting human cognition, and I outline concrete steps for its development.