Automation Confusion

A phenomenon, well documented in human–automation literature and observed in partially automated video games, in which the user struggles to distinguish the outcomes of their own actions from those performed autonomously by a software agent. In shared-control gaming this can occur when a software copilot and a human pilot both influence overlapping controls, leaving the pilot unsure whether a given on-screen event resulted from their input, the agent's intervention, or the game itself. Clear separation of responsibilities and feedback on agent actions are common mitigations.