From Trust to Reliance: Redefining Human- Generative Al Interaction in Decision-Making and Digital Businesses through a Cognitive Perspective

Generative AI is fundamentally reshaping how we access information and make decisions. In the digital business landscape, entrepreneurs and managers are increasingly turning to these tools for everything from market analysis and problem-solving to brainstorming and strategic support. But as we integrate AI more deeply into our workflows, a critical question emerges: is 'trust' actually enough? Relying on AI is a nuanced behavioral choice, and trust alone doesn't fully explain why some people use these outputs appropriately while others rely on them too heavily. This study seeks to move beyond the current obsession with trust by reframing the human-AI dynamic through the lens of 'balanced cognitive reliance. We define cognitive trust as a belief, while reliance is a tangible action. By synthesizing theories on technology acceptance, AI literacy, and domain expertise, we propose a framework that bridges the two. We argue that factors like critical thinking, AI self-efficacy, and a clear-eyed understanding of Al's limitations act as the regulators that turn blind trust into smart, balanced reliance. Ultimately, this paper posits that the true strategic value of GenAI isn't about outsourcing judgment to an algorithm-it's about using AI to augment human intelligence. We conclude by offering ten research propositions and a roadmap for testing this framework empirically.

کلیدواژه ها:

Generative Artificial Intelligence ، Cognitive Trust ، Cognitive Reliance ، AI Literacy ، Critical Thinking ، Digital Business