Work

Designing and Evaluating AI Margin Notes in Document Reader Software

Year: 2026

Type: conference-paper

Abstract: AI capabilities for document reader software are usually presented in separate chat interfaces. We explore integrating AI into document comments, a concept we formalize as AI margin notes. Three design parameters characterize this approach: margin notes are integrated with the text while chat interfaces are not; selecting text for a margin note can be automated through AI or manual; and the generation of a margin note can involve AI to various degrees. Two experiments investigate integration and selection automation, with results showing participants prefer integrated AI margin notes and manual selection. A third experiment explores human and AI involvement through six alternative techniques. Techniques with less AI involvement resulted in more psychological ownership, but faster and less effortful designs were generally preferred. Surprisingly, the degree of AI involvement had no measurable effect on reading comprehension. Our work shows that AI margin notes are desirable and contributes implications for their design.

Source: CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

DOI: 10.1145/3772318.3790786

Authors: Nikhita Joshi, Daniel Vogel

Institutions: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies du numérique, University of Waterloo, Université Paris-Saclay, Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire des Sciences du Numérique

Language: English

Topic: Usability and User Interface Design

Subfield: Human-Computer Interaction

Field: Computer Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funder: Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada

Award: G931259627