This working paper presents a structural qualitative analysis of transformations emerging in AI-assisted cognitive work, based on sustained observation of real work practices. Building on a prior case-based study (The Silent Transformation), this paper identifies three interconnected structural displacements: Criterion Drift, Process Bifurcation, and Decision Opacity. These describe how work is reorganized when AI becomes embedded in cognitive processes without being formally integrated into organizational structures. Rather than focusing on individual experience, the analysis shifts to the underlying architecture of work, revealing a growing asymmetry between those who construct AI-assisted outputs and those who make decisions based on them. The paper argues that current psychosocial risk assessment frameworks operate on incomplete representations of work, leading to systematic blind spots in the evaluation of cognitive load, autonomy, and role clarity. This work is developed within the Applied Cognitive Symbology (ACS) framework (El Canal) and follows the Canal Transparency Protocol (PTC), enabling traceability and verification of the document through its TXT version and validator output.
Bermúdez et al. (2026) studied this question.