"Think First, Verify Always": Training Humans to Face AI Risks

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Author: Aydin, Yuksel
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Aydin, Yuksel
author_facet Aydin, Yuksel
contents Artificial intelligence enables unprecedented attacks on human cognition, yet cybersecurity remains predominantly device-centric. This paper introduces the "Think First, Verify Always" (TFVA) protocol, which repositions humans as 'Firewall Zero', the first line of defense against AI-enabled threats. The protocol is grounded in five operational principles: Awareness, Integrity, Judgment, Ethical Responsibility, and Transparency (AIJET). A randomized controlled trial (n=151) demonstrated that a minimal 3-minute intervention produced statistically significant improvements in cognitive security task performance, with participants showing an absolute +7.87% gains compared to controls. These results suggest that brief, principles-based training can rapidly enhance human resilience against AI-driven cognitive manipulation. We recommend that GenAI platforms embed "Think First, Verify Always" as a standard prompt, replacing passive warnings with actionable protocols to enhance trustworthy and ethical AI use. By bridging the gap between technical cybersecurity and human factors, the TFVA protocol establishes human-empowered security as a vital component of trustworthy AI systems.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2508_03714
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle "Think First, Verify Always": Training Humans to Face AI Risks
Aydin, Yuksel
Human-Computer Interaction
Artificial Intelligence
Cryptography and Security
Computers and Society
Artificial intelligence enables unprecedented attacks on human cognition, yet cybersecurity remains predominantly device-centric. This paper introduces the "Think First, Verify Always" (TFVA) protocol, which repositions humans as 'Firewall Zero', the first line of defense against AI-enabled threats. The protocol is grounded in five operational principles: Awareness, Integrity, Judgment, Ethical Responsibility, and Transparency (AIJET). A randomized controlled trial (n=151) demonstrated that a minimal 3-minute intervention produced statistically significant improvements in cognitive security task performance, with participants showing an absolute +7.87% gains compared to controls. These results suggest that brief, principles-based training can rapidly enhance human resilience against AI-driven cognitive manipulation. We recommend that GenAI platforms embed "Think First, Verify Always" as a standard prompt, replacing passive warnings with actionable protocols to enhance trustworthy and ethical AI use. By bridging the gap between technical cybersecurity and human factors, the TFVA protocol establishes human-empowered security as a vital component of trustworthy AI systems.
title "Think First, Verify Always": Training Humans to Face AI Risks
topic Human-Computer Interaction
Artificial Intelligence
Cryptography and Security
Computers and Society
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.03714