Sift: Cognitive Governance Engine

Sift is a cognitive governance layer that sits in front of AI assistants to reduce cognitive offloading. Instead of immediately answering every prompt, Sift evaluates whether the user has demonstrated independent thinking or is relying entirely on AI to reason for them. When excessive cognitive offloading is detected, the system temporarily intervenes with Socratic questions that encourage users to form their own hypotheses before receiving AI assistance. By promoting active reasoning rather than passive consumption, Sift aims to preserve critical thinking while maintaining AI as a collaborative tool rather than a replacement for human cognition.