Overreliance in Writing Tasks: Exploring Similarity-Based Measures of AI Influence on Writing and Proposing a Reflective Writing Interface Intervention
Vitor H. A. Welzel, Nicholas Vincent

TL;DR
This study investigates how generative AI influences writing behaviors, quantifies suggestion reuse, and proposes an interface to enhance user reflection and awareness during AI-assisted writing tasks.
Contribution
It provides empirical methods for studying AI influence on writing and introduces a reflective interface to improve user engagement with AI suggestions.
Findings
AI assistance correlates with suggestion reuse patterns.
The interface increases user awareness of AI integration.
Preliminary evidence suggests improved reflection with the interface.
Abstract
As generative AI (GenAI) systems become increasingly proficient at simulating human-like and well-reasoned text, users may attribute authority to AI outputs, shaping how they engage with writing and reasoning tasks. While prior work has raised concerns about AI overreliance, empirical approaches for observing this phenomenon during open-ended writing remain limited. In this paper, we examine how GenAI assistance influences users' interactions with AI suggestions during writing. We report results from a mixed-methods study in which 47 participants completed analysis and synthesis writing tasks with or without AI assistance. We quantify the textual overlap between AI suggestions and participants' writing and analyze participants' reflections. Our results show that AI assistance is associated with patterns of suggestion reuse. Building on these findings, we design and evaluate an…
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