THE COGNITIVE CONDITIONS PERSPECTIVE

From technological capability to the conditions that enable human capability

AI development is transforming the environments within which human cognition operates. The Cognitive Conditions perspective proposes that the benefits people derive from increasingly intelligent technologies will depend not only on technological capabilities, but also on the conditions that enable human capabilities to function effectively.

INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES

Global voices illuminating the human dimensions of an AI-rich world

Independent perspectives from across education, technology, neuroscience, policy and innovation explore which human capacities and cognitive conditions may deserve greater attention in the AI era.

Robert M. Klassen — University of Oxford
Motivation, mastery and academic self-efficacyHiroshi Ishiguro — Osaka University
Human capability and human–robot coexistenceAlexandra Dragomirescu — OECD Education 2040, FG2A Co-Chair
Problem formulation in AI-mediated environmentsYoumin Xi — Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
Future education, human wisdom and digital intelligenceThomas Feiner — IFEN
Neural self-regulation and autonomous thinkingBarak Cerff — QS / Reimagine Education
Metacognition, cognitive flexibility, attention and critical thinkingFurther international perspectives will be added progressively.

COGNITIVE SIGNALS

Observing how human thinking and agency may be changing alongside AI

The Observatory identifies emerging signals of how human cognition and capability may be changing as AI becomes embedded in everyday environments.

The first observation cycle began with a simple question: What is one thing you now think differently because of AI? Across the reflections received, three preliminary signals emerged:01 — Context over information
As information becomes increasingly abundant, interpretation and judgement may become increasingly valuable.02 — Questions over answers
As answers become easier to generate, identifying meaningful problems and framing better questions may become increasingly important.03 — Human agency, redefined
Working alongside increasingly capable AI systems is changing how we understand human contribution itself.These signals are presented as emerging observations intended to stimulate further inquiry. Successive observation cycles will continue to examine how human cognition, capability and agency are evolving alongside AI.

THE OBSERVATORY

From WSIS dialogue to a continuing international inquiry

The Human Cognition Observatory extends an international dialogue developed around Human-Centred AI and Cognitive Readiness: Preparing Learners and Entrepreneurs for the Next Digital Economy, led by Dr Victor (Vik) Perez at the WSIS Forum 2026 in Geneva.The Observatory provides a continuing platform for international perspectives, emerging cognitive signals and interdisciplinary synthesis on Cognitive Conditions, human capability and technological change.

Founder & Lead

Dr. Victor (Vik) Perez

Working at the intersection of human cognition, education, entrepreneurship and emerging technologies. He is advancing the Cognitive Conditions perspective—an emerging approach to understanding the conditions that enable human thinking, learning, judgement and agency in increasingly AI-rich environments. His work connects this perspective with cognitive readiness and the intentional design of environments that strengthen human capability in the age of AI.