Framework Alignment
Aligned with the US Department of Labor AI Literacy Framework
On February 13, 2026, the DOL published a national AI Literacy Framework establishing five foundational content areas every worker needs. Cognitive OS is the measurement layer — we assess whether candidates have actually developed these competencies, not just whether they've heard of them.
How we map to the five DOL content areas
Understand AI Principles
Grasp how AI systems use pattern recognition, probabilistic outputs, and training data. Understand why hallucinations occur and why human oversight matters.
Cognitive OS Pillar
Core Reasoning + AI Verification
Assessment Missions
How We Measure It
We test foundational cognitive architecture (fluid reasoning, pattern recognition, working memory) alongside the ability to understand AI system limitations. Candidates who score well demonstrate the cognitive infrastructure needed to critically engage with AI tools.
Explore AI Uses
Directly explore different AI tools and relevant use cases. Understand how AI complements human expertise across industries.
Cognitive OS Pillar
Workflow Intelligence
Assessment Missions
How We Measure It
Our Workflow Intelligence pillar tests whether candidates can identify the right AI tool for the right task, sequence human-AI collaboration effectively, and determine when human review is necessary. The Broken Brief mission simulates real workflow design decisions.
Prompt AI Effectively
Develop the ability to clearly instruct AI tools. Effective prompting reflects structured thinking and task understanding.
Cognitive OS Pillar
Workflow Intelligence + Judgment
Assessment Missions
How We Measure It
Mission 6 (Prompt Lab) directly assesses prompt literacy: clarity, specificity, constraint-setting, iterative refinement, and safety-aware prompting for production systems. This is the DOL's most directly measurable content area.
Evaluate AI Outputs
Critically assess AI-generated content for accuracy, bias, hallucination, and source quality. Verify before trusting.
Cognitive OS Pillar
AI Verification
Assessment Missions
How We Measure It
Source Collision is our most direct DOL alignment — candidates evaluate AI-generated text with embedded hallucinations, fabricated citations, and misleading conclusions. Truth Under Noise (elite bonus) tests evaluation under maximum ambiguity with conflicting sources.
Manage AI Responsibly
Safe and secure usage including cybersecurity practices, recognising limits of AI authority, protecting sensitive data, and complying with requirements.
Cognitive OS Pillar
Judgment & Calibration
Assessment Missions
How We Measure It
Responsible AI management requires metacognition — knowing what you know and what you don't. Our Confidence Mirror mission measures calibration accuracy (do candidates know when they're wrong?). Moving Target tests whether candidates can make sound decisions under pressure without over-relying on AI outputs.
DOL delivery principles we embody
The framework also outlines seven principles for how AI literacy should be taught and assessed. Cognitive OS directly implements four of them.
Enable Experiential Learning
Every mission is hands-on — candidates evaluate real AI output, design workflows, and make decisions under constraints. No passive reading.
Build Complementary Human Skills
Our dual-score system explicitly measures both human reasoning and AI-augmented performance, ensuring critical thinking and creativity are valued alongside AI skills.
Design for Agility
Our modular question bank and role-track system can evolve as AI tools change — question content updates without requiring assessment redesign.
Embed Learning in Context
Questions use realistic business scenarios — M&A documents, marketing campaigns, customer support, data pipelines — not abstract puzzles divorced from real work.
Ready to measure AI readiness?
Cognitive OS gives your hiring team a structured, DOL-aligned assessment that measures what actually matters for AI-era performance.