Advanced digitization and related information overload foster the prevalence of disruptive stimuli that constantly challenge people in learning and working contexts. The high variety of potential distractions increasingly reduces attention and subsequently minimizes capacities for productive study and work habits. Addressing this challenge, intelligent training software can leverage metacognitive feedback to support people with resisting situational temptations and keeping focused on meaningful tasks. While pilot studies indicate benefits to strengthen attention control skills, they also show hesitation towards using such software at all. Hence, the present study investigates users’ acceptance towards an AI-based software to promote attention control in more detail. A sample of 71 volunteers completed a survey based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) to identify factors determining people’s willingness to use the software. Results indicate that performance expectancy is an important predictor to consider when introducing the software to potential target groups.

To stay focused on their chosen tasks, people have to inhibit distractions. The underlying attention control skills canimprove through reinforcement learning, which can be accelerated by giving feedback. We applied the theory of metacog-nitive reinforcement learning to develop a training app that gives people optimal feedback on their attention control whilethey are working or studying. In an eight-day field experiment with 99 participants, we investigated the effect of this train-ing on peoples productivity, sustained attention, and self-control. Compared to a control condition without feedback, wefound that participants receiving optimal feedback learned to focus increasingly better (f = .08, p ¡ .01) and achieved higherproductivity scores (f = .19, p ¡ .01) during the training. In addition, they evaluated their productivity more accurately (r =.12, p ¡.01). However, due to asymmetric attrition problems, these findings need to be taken with a grain of salt.