The PTRR Framework: A Metacognitive Approach to Measuring and Mitigating Automation Bias in AI-Assisted Vulnerability Research

Accepted at the 2026 6th International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Industrial Technology Applications (IEEE AIITA 2026), Chongqing, China, April 10–12, 2026.

This manuscript introduces the PTRR Framework, a metacognitive instrument for measuring and mitigating automation bias in AI-assisted vulnerability research. Three novel indices are defined: the Automation Bias Index (ABI), the Cognitive Struggle Index (CSI), and the Tool Integration Intensity Score (TIIS). A preliminary 60-hour naturalistic case study documents a shift from a low-to-medium severity finding profile to a critical-dominant profile following PTRR adoption, with 7 critical findings independently validated by programme triage.

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