As we increasingly offload cognitive tasks to artificial intelligence, researchers are concerned that our critical thinking skills will atrophy.
Ross Pomeroy in “Is AI eroding our critical thinking?“
Imagine a student sitting at their desk, unsure how to begin a paper, and instead of brainstorming or outlining their ideas, they turn to an AI tool to generate a draft directly. The process is fast, efficient, and even impressive, but something vital is lost in this shortcut. That “something” is the ability to think critically.
Critical thinking isn’t just about arriving at the right answer. It’s about the journey of questioning, analyzing, and reflecting. It involves a careful dissection of information, examining evidence, identifying biases, evaluating credibility, and considering alternative perspectives. These are not merely academic exercises; they are habits of mind that help individuals navigate complex social, political, and moral decisions in everyday life.
When learners rely on AI tools to bypass these steps, when answers are one prompt away, it becomes easy to engage with information passively. The act of forming an argument or solving a problem turns from a process of inquiry into one of consumption. Over time, this can dull the very skills that education is meant to sharpen.
Educators, too, face their own version of this dilemma. With AI promising rapid lesson planning and automated feedback, it becomes tempting to offload not only administrative tasks but also pedagogical thinking. Yet when teaching turns transactional, it loses the depth that fosters student engagement and reflective learning. Critical thinking, after all, thrives in classrooms where both students and teachers wrestle with ideas, challenge each other, and take time to consider the “why” behind every “what.”
“I already know how to read a map. But if I had never learned and started relying only on GPS, my brain wouldn’t develop that spatial awareness. I wouldn’t even know that I was missing it.”
Jennifer Ferguson, Think Critically, Not Just Quickly – Using AI Without Losing Learning
HOW DO WE MAKE AI SUPPORT OUR CRITICAL THINKING INSTEAD?
But this argument has another side – AI can actually support critical thinking if we use it intentionally.
Imagine a classroom where AI is not the voice of authority but a conversational partner: generating perspectives, asking provocative questions, and helping students refine their own thoughts. The key lies in how we frame its role not as a crutch to avoid thinking, but as a springboard that encourages deeper thought. (refer to the section on prompting the chatbots appropriately and effectively)
QUESTIONS YOU CAN REFLECT ON AS A LEARNER WHEN USING AI
BEFORE USING AI
WHILE WORKING WITH AI
AFTER USING AI
- What am I trying to accomplish and which uses of AI might help me accomplish this? Is it learning something, getting help or advice on a project? Consider the continuum of ways it could be used.
- Is it ethical to use AI on this task? Is it OK with course guidelines? What biases might AI bring to the work? Will it misrepresent my own authorship or learning? Will I attribute it correctly?
- Will this use of AI help me learn and develop skills, or will it avoid the cognitive work of learning?
- How am I shaping this interaction? Am I designing thoughtful prompts that include my own knowledge and perspective? Am I using AI as a thinking partner rather than just a search engine – bringing what I already know to provide context and guide the conversation? Can I challenge the AI to consider other perspctives?
- Why did the AI gave this response? What assumptions or patterns in its training might have led to this particular answer? What is it missing? Is there more than one way to approach this problem?
- Do I need to rewrite this in my own words? Is what’s created accurate? Am I checking for text that sounds good but says little, or says misleading things?
- Can I explain this in my own words? How would I teach this concept to someone else without just repeating what the AI said?
- What did I learn from this interaction that I didn’t know before? Did I just accept the AI’s response or did I challenge it? How has this tool helped or hindered my thinking process?
- How would I verify or fact-check what the AI told me? What other sources or perspectives should I explore now?
Places to start as a Teacher When Considering Using AI
5 Steps to Update Assignments to Foster Critical Thinking and Authentic Learning in an AI Age by Flower Darby in Faculty Focus, July 2025
Developing Syllabus Statements for AI (CELT)
Designing Courses in the Age of AI (Teaching@Tufts)
Addressing Academic Integrity in the Age of AI (Teaching@Tufts)