Leon Reicherts

About

I am a Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) researcher with a focus on AI tools, particularly generative AI (GenAI) tools and AI ‘co-pilots’ that enhance human cognition. My research centres around two key questions:

1. What impact do generative AI tools have on people’s understanding and memory of what they are doing?
2. And how can AI tools be designed so that they provably augment human cognition and help build core skills and capabilities?

Currently, I am mainly exploring these questions in the context of writing and the ways in which AI tools can support it. In particular, I am investigating writing activities where it might be desirable or even required for people to have a good understanding and memory of what they write. The aim of this research is to design new interfaces and build AI tools that allow people to leverage the potential efficiency gains of using AI while at the same time helping them stay cognitively engaged in what they do and write with the help of AI.

This work is embedded into the research programme of the Tools for Thought project (opens in new tab) which I am part of, and which focuses on how cognition can be supported and scaffolded by AI tools in ways that should help people understand and learn, build skills, and grow expertise.

Before joining Microsoft, I completed my PhD in HCI at University College London focusing on conversational (AI) tools and how they can be designed to proactively intervene to support people in cognitive tasks, including sense-making, decision-making, or creative tasks.

For a full list of my publications please see my Google Scholar profile (opens in new tab).