The Double-Edged Sword of Automation: Impact of Generative Ai Adoption on Student’s Critical Thinking Skills in Higher Education Considering Cognitive Offloading as a Mediator

Abstract

The rapid integration of Generative AI in education has ignited a critical debate regarding its impacts in education. Present study investigates the role of Generative AI as “double-edged sword" of automation on intellectual development of students. Specific objectives of the study were to examine the association of Generative AI tool usage with cognitive offloading and critical thinking skills after that examining the potential mediating role of cognitive offloading.  A quantitative, cross-sectional research design was employed. Data was collected from 153 higher education student from four different universities of District Quetta. In order to test the association of Generative AI tools with cognitive offloading and critical thinking skills, a Pearson correlation & linear regression analysis was conducted. The results revealed i) a significant moderate to strong positive correlation among AI usage and cognitive offloading and ii)  a significant inverse relationship among AI and critical thinking skills.  Mediating effect of Cognitive Offloading was examined using Hayes’ PROCESS macro (Model 4) in SPSS. Results reveal that according to current sample cognitive offloading did not significantly mediate the relationship between AI usage and critical thinking. These findings suggest that the educational consequences of generative AI may depend on how students engage with the technology. Meanwhile AI is not a supernatural, self-regulating entity, it’s just a tool created, & guided by human intelligence. In order to sustain the role as architects of this technology, human must utilize their own unbeatable critical thinking rather than blindly relying on it.