Reliance on the convenience and ease of AI tools may be “potentially engendering a dependency detrimental to their capacity for independent and innovative thought.”
(Yu, 2024, p. 7)
In addition to considerations around educational ethics, social implications, and biases, research suggests there are growing concerns around AI tools hindering cognitive capabilities, such as critical thinking, independent thinking, and self-motivation to seek knowledge. Many studies illuminate the potential pitfalls of an overreliance on ChatGPT in educational contexts. Reliance on the convenience and ease of AI tools may be “potentially engendering a dependency detrimental to their capacity for independent and innovative thought” (Yu, 2024, p. 7). Yu goes on to say that devaluing the process of acquiring knowledge could also lead to a lack of interest in the process of learning itself – the threat of relying too much on AI tools could affect the learner’s motivation and ability to engage in the process of learning. In relation to critical thinking, growing evidence suggests that an over-reliance on AI tools can lead to cognitive off-loading. In a mixed-method design, a study referenced by Gerlich, there was a strong correlation of higher AI usage and greater cognitive offloading, and a negative correlation of increased AI usage with lower critical thinking skills (Gerlich, 2025, p. 13). Gerlich describes cognitive offloading as a reduction of deep, reflective thinking due to the process of giving up cognitive tasks to tools (Gerlich, 2025). The quick access to information can create a bypass for the usual cognitive processes involved in critical thinking, and can affect memory retention, potentially altering how students store and recall knowledge (Gerlich, 2025, p. 4). Dauntingly, there is even a name for the availability of information and lack of memory, and researchers Sparrow, Liu, and Wegner, have coined the term “Google Effect”. This phenomenon, also known as ‘transactive memory’, implies that people are more likely to remember where to find information rather than the information itself” (Gerlich, 2025, p. 4). The research suggests that long-term use of AI tools can have harmful effects on cognitive functioning. Solutions to concerns around cognitive impairments include student awareness and understanding of these potential issues as a part of their education into AI. In a paper discussing the benefits of AI use for inquiry-based learning, Xu suggests that teachers must focus on tasks that cannot be replicated by GAI. Activities involving group participation, oral presentations, and hands-on practical tasks are good examples of ways to get students effectively practicing soft skills such as teamwork and communication (Xu, 2024, p. 16). Using AI in a guided setting, with focus on project-based learning and activities that promote students’ soft skill development, will be discussed more in Chapter 3.
Recent Comments