Future of AI and Critical Thinking
Excellent Educator, Volume: 3, Issue: 4, Page: 6
Summary of Gerlich (2025)
Academic Insights
This summary explains how the future of education with AI affects critical thinking skills. AI tools are widely used for information retrieval and decision support. The study analyses data from 666 participants. It finds a significant negative relationship between frequent AI use and critical thinking. This occurs through cognitive offloading. Learners allow AI systems to perform thinking tasks. Younger users are more affected by this shift. Higher education reduces but does not remove the risk. Trust in AI increases dependence. The study highlights the importance of instructional design. Learning tasks must require reasoning and evaluation. AI should support thinking and not replace it. The study concludes that careful use is essential for healthy learning outcomes.
Apply These Now
• Require reasoning beyond AI output
• Limit AI in early thinking stages
Add These in Your Lesson
• Critique AI generated answers
• Include AI free problem solving
Avoid This Mistake
• Allowing AI to replace student thinking during problem solving
Keywords
Critical thinking, AI tools, cognition
Source/Citation
Gerlich, M. (2025). AI tools in society: Impacts on cognitive offloading and the future of critical thinking. Societies, 15(1), 6.
https://doi.org/10.3390/soc15010006
Suggested Citation
Excellent Educator. 2026. Future of AI and Critical Thinking. Excellent Educator, 3(4), p. 6.