Is artificial intelligence making students less able to think for themselves?
The findings revealed in this research suggest a significant negative correlation between frequent AI tool usage and critical thinking abilities.
Are AI tools making students think less?
This new research, AI Tools in Society: Impacts on Cognitive Offloading and the Future of Critical Thinking (Gerlich, 2025) examines the effects of AI tools on critical thinking, revealing that students (n =
Technology in general has taken much of the thinking skills away from the students. The kids can copy and paste word problems, questions, even math equations, and with a single click get an answer. AI has taken it all a step higher and leaves little to critical thinking. I appreciate your suggestions for teachers with regards to approaching projects in ways that AI cannot assist … namely debates and problem-solving activities. Forcing the students to interact on-the-fly verbally eliminates the opportunity to rely on AI. This makes Formative Assessments so much more important. The other option you mentioned about having the student present their own thoughts/beliefs but then allowing them to use AI to compare output. We have no choice but to continue finding creative ways to keep our students thinking on their own, and we’re going to have to incorporate AI to keep them on the path to the future.