Choosing Challenge: Humans and AI

Last registered on November 17, 2025
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Choosing Challenge: Humans and AI
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0017065
Initial registration date
October 21, 2025

Initial registration date is when the trial was registered.

It corresponds to when the registration was submitted to the Registry to be reviewed for publication.

First published
October 23, 2025, 7:38 AM EDT

First published corresponds to when the trial was first made public on the Registry after being reviewed.

Last updated
November 17, 2025, 4:37 PM EST

Last updated is the most recent time when changes to the trial's registration were published.

Locations

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Primary Investigator

Name
Tara Mary Kuruvila
Affiliation
Columbia University
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Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Lena Song
PI Affiliation
UIUC
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PI Name
Marta Serra-Garcia
PI Affiliation
UCSD
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Additional Trial Information

Status
In development
Start date
2025-10-09
End date
2026-12-31
Keywords
Behavior, Gender, Lab
Additional Keywords
artificial intelligence
JEL code(s)
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
This project empirically assesses how the availability of AI affects task performance and willingness to select into tasks of different difficulty levels with and without AI assistance, within a learning setting.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Kuruvila, Tara Mary, Marta Serra-Garcia and Lena Song. 2025. "Choosing Challenge: Humans and AI." AEA RCT Registry. November 17. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.17065-1.1
Sponsors & Partners
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
Intervention Start Date
2025-10-21
Intervention End Date
2026-12-31

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
The primary outcome variables in Phase 1 are:
• Number of correct questions
• Absolute and relative confidence (post-task)
The primary outcome variables in Phase 2 are:
• Choice of question (basic vs. more work, basic vs. more challenge) at different incentive levels
• Number of correct questions
• Absolute and relative confidence (pre- and post-task)
• Willingness to accept to choose the harder and longer task
Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
The study involves two phases. In Phase 1, participants complete tasks and are cross-randomized by question difficulty (easy vs. difficult) and access to an AI chatbot (“AI Advisor”). The AI Advisor allows participants to ask questions and upload materials.

In Phase 2, participants choose between tasks that vary in repetition and difficulty, both with and without AI access. We also vary incentives to measure WTA to complete the harder and longer tasks. For the choice question that is selected, the participant is then randomly assigned to receive their chosen option (75%) or the alternative option (25%).

Additionally, when choosing tasks for Phase 2, some participants will be randomized into an encouragement treatment, where the use of the AI Advisor is destigmatized.

The design measures how AI access and demographics such as gender influence performance, confidence, and willingness to engage in longer or more challenging work.
Experimental Design Details
Not available
Randomization Method
In-survey randomization on Qualtrics
Randomization Unit
Individual
Was the treatment clustered?
No

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
100 MBA students, ca. 800-1100 lab participants, or as many as can be recruited in the fall and winter quarters.
Sample size: planned number of observations
100 MBA students, ca. 800-1100 lab participants, or as many as can be recruited in the fall and winter quarters.
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
In Phase 1, assignment to the easy vs. difficult condition and AI Advisor vs. No AI Advisor condition are with equal probability
In Phase 2, participants choose their preferred task and this is implemented with 75% probability. Additionally, in the lab participant sample, participants are cross-randomized to be in the encouragement treatment vs. not.
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
UC San Diego Institutional Review Board
IRB Approval Date
2025-10-06
IRB Approval Number
IRB# 813418
Analysis Plan

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