Better answers, broader thinking: What students gain from ChatGPT and critical-thinking training

Explain Like I'm Normal

A study of 1,000 university students found that ChatGPT significantly improves performance on assignments, but only when paired with critical-thinking training. Students who used AI without guidance often produced less original work, while those trained to evaluate outputs showed better reasoning and higher grades. The research highlights the shift from AI as a cheating tool to AI as a cognitive enhancer.