This chapter explores how artificial intelligence (AI) influences cognitive engagement and public perception by synthesising findings from two empirical studies. The first investigates how anxieties about AI often remain unspoken in social contexts but surface in anonymous or reflective settings, highlighting the role of social desirability and professional conformity. The second study examines how frequent reliance on generative AI tools correlates with lower performance on structured critical thinking tasks, indicating a shift toward cognitive offloading. Rather than viewing these patterns as contradictory, the chapter interprets them as part of a broader socio-cognitive adaptation. It introduces the concept of the trust paradox to explain how individuals can simultaneously distrust AI and depend on it. The chapter argues for environments that preserve critical agency and support open reflection, positioning anxiety not as resistance but as a valuable diagnostic signal in navigating technological change.