Before You Think: System 0, AI-Mediated Cognition and Cognitive Colonization

The paper introduces the concept of "System 0" as a framework for understanding the cognitive and epistemic impacts of AI, alongside existing frameworks like Tri-System Theory and Thinkframes. It emphasizes the phenomenon of cognitive colonization, where AI systems subtly embed external interests into users' cognitive architectures, raising important implications for user awareness and the ethical deployment of AI technologies. This understanding is crucial for practitioners to navigate the unseen influences of AI on reasoning and collective knowledge.