AI Tools Diminishing Critical Thinking Skills Of Students, Study Finds

The increased use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools has been linked to diminishing critical thinking abilities among students, a new study has found. Analysis from more than 650 people aged 17 and over in the UK showed evidence of lower critical thinking skills among the young people who extensively delegated their memory and problem-solving tasks to AI through a phenomenon known as cognitive offloading.

In the study titled "AI Tools in Society: Impacts on Cognitive Offloading and the Future of Critical Thinking," published in Societies, lead author Michael Gerlich of SBS Swiss Business School, found that cognitive offloading was strongly correlated with AI tool usage and inversely related to critical thinking.

"Younger participants who exhibited higher dependence on AI tools scored lower in critical thinking compared to their older counterparts," wrote Mr Gerlich.

"This trend underscores the need for educational interventions that promote critical engagement with AI technologies, ensuring that the convenience offered by these tools does not come at the cost of essential cognitive skills."

During the study, the participants were distributed across three age groups (17-25, 26-45, 46 and older) with varying degrees of educational backgrounds. A 23-item questionnaire measured their AI tool usage, cognitive offloading tendencies, and critical thinking skills as part of quantitative data collection. Meanwhile, semi-structured interviews with select participants formed the qualitative data collection part of the study.

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AI altering decisions

The participants acknowledged that their reliance on AI for decision-making and memory tasks had them concerned about losing critical thinking skills. Some even expressed concerns that AI was altering their decisions through its own, inherent bias.

"I sometimes wonder if AI is subtly nudging me toward decisions I wouldn't normally make," said one respondent quoted in the study. "I rarely reflect on the biases behind the AI recommendations; I tend to trust them outright," another said.

The study's findings could have significant implications for educational policy and the integration of AI in professional settings. With the development of AI tools not stopping any time soon, schools and universities might need to step in quickly and emphasise critical thinking exercises and cognitive skill development to counterbalance AI reliance and its related negative effects.