Learning with AI: Losing critical thinking at the worst time

Learning with AI: Losing critical thinking at the worst time Nancy Butler Songer argues that learning with artificial intelligence is contributing to the erosion of critical thinking skills at a time when it is most needed. Today, many K-12 school districts and universities are widely adopting artificial intelligence (AI) tools, with implementation as early as elementary school and across all grade levels, curricular topics, and university majors. The argument, such as that for prospective applicants to the Applied Generative AI Certificate at Johns Hopkins University in partnership with Great Learning (Johns Hopkins University, 2025), focuses on preparing students to “harness the power of generative AI” for the present and future workforce amid rapid change.