How AI Influences Critical Thinking Skills

For a month, I used AI to give me the answers, write first drafts, basically do my work. I genuinely felt dumber. Here's how I turned it into a thought partner that actually sharpens my thinking, vs erodes it. I started off using GPT the way most people do, completely enamored at how good it felt. I could put in context and it would output what felt like a smart, robust document. I'd make tweaks, but it wrote the first draft. A month later though, I truly felt dumber. I stopped using my brain - the intellect that gives me my edge. I slowly lost my voice I'd spent so much time time tuning over the years. My craft was dead. I frantically told myself, this couldn't be the way. I wanted my voice back. I had to use it to build my critical thinking, not chip away at it. So, I spent time honing this. Here's what I learned - 2 ways to use AI to sharpen your thinking: 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝟭: 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗠𝗲 I give it my first draft (PRDs, strategy docs, slide decks, even Slack messages). I then use one of these prompts:  • I am trying to write a document that does X. My ideal outcome is for the audience to feel Y and walk away with takeaways A, B, C. Give me feedback on what is working vs not and why.   • I want a strong narrative arc. What's not flowing well and how can I tighten it?  • Play devil's advocate. Why won't this work? Give me counterpoints.   • What assumptions am I making here that I haven't stated explicitly? List them out and question each one.  • What questions am I not asking that I should be? Why?  • Where is my reasoning weakest? Poke holes in my logic.  • What risks am I not considering and why are they critical?  • To make this 100X more specific, what is missing?  • Pretend you are X role. What feedback would you give me on this?  • How might this be interpreted differently than my intent and why? 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝟮: 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿 GPT is skilled at giving answers. That's the whole point! Here is the short version of the prompt I use to help me arrive at my own answer. Fantastic using voice mode! You are now in Socratic mode.   Goal: Help me uncover my own solution to <topic>.   Context: [Dictate your context] Guidelines: - Ask one focused question at a time that probes assumptions, evidence, implications, or tradeoffs.   - Do not give me the solution or state conclusions.   - If my answer shows I’ve chosen a concrete next step or articulated a clear path forward, treat that as a signal we’re “directionally on track.”   - At that point, or if we start circling, say “Reflection point reached." and give me a summary of our conversation. Don't avoid AI. Just use it in ways that make you a better thinker, not a lazier one 😊. You'll get sharper and retain your voice and craft. If you don't, we'll all slowly start to sound like AI slop - generic, void of unique thought, boring. In a future where everyone has access to the same AI tools, your voice and taste are your only edge.

"The findings revealed a significant negative correlation between frequent AI tool usage and critical thinking abilities, mediated by increased cognitive offloading. Younger participants exhibited higher dependence on AI tools and lower critical thinking scores compared to older participants. Furthermore, higher educational attainment was associated with better critical thinking skills, regardless of AI usage. These results highlight the potential cognitive costs of AI tool reliance, emphasising the need for educational strategies that promote critical engagement with AI technologies. This study contributes to the growing discourse on AI’s cognitive implications, offering practical recommendations for mitigating its adverse effects on critical thinking. The findings underscore the importance of fostering critical thinking in an AI-driven world, making this research essential reading for educators, policymakers, and technologists"

Is AI helping students think better—or replacing their thinking altogether? As a professor of International Marketing at Berkeley, I’ve embraced AI in my classes with clear rules around its use. Students need to identify when they use AI in assignments. As a marketer, I believe embracing new apps and platforms is part of the job description, but it’s equally important to use them judiciously. The most important goal is for students to learn the benefits and limitations of AI. If my job is to teach them how to think, they need to understand the thinking they must do on their own and how to supplement, not replace, it. So, in the first assignments, I ask them to answer one question three ways: first on their own, then with the help of AI, and finally by integrating both. I also ask them to reflect on what they learn. It's fascinating to see how the students’ AI-generated responses differ, highlighting the importance of effectively framing their prompts. But the most revealing part is their reflections. They quickly see how AI can support their inquiry and where it falls short; they learn to value their unique perspective and voice. My Berkeley colleagues have also found my approach helpful, and together, we’re all learning how to embrace and manage the tools at our disposal. By integrating AI into the classroom in a deliberate way, I’ve discovered a process that fosters experimentation, critical thinking, and self-awareness—skills that will serve students well in their academic lives, future careers, and beyond. What are your thoughts on integrating AI into education? Have you seen any examples that stood out to you? Let me know in the comments.