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Quick Glance
- Recent articles from Axios and The Guardian raise concerns about students over-relying on AI tools like ChatGPT.
- Educators worry this reliance may reduce students’ engagement in critical thinking and cognitive struggle.
- The problem lies not in the tool itself, but in how we integrate AI into learning environments.
- Texas has a unique opportunity to lead in shaping responsible, future-focused AI education policies.
- Key solutions include teacher training, curriculum integration, and involving student voices.
As artificial intelligence continues to reshape the landscape of education, educators across the country are asking a vital question: What is AI doing to students’ ability to think critically? Two recent articles—one from Axios and another from The Guardian—highlight growing concerns among teachers that the widespread use of AI tools like ChatGPT may be doing more harm than good when it comes to developing essential cognitive skills.
At Texans for AI, we believe it’s important to explore this issue from both a national and local lens. While the headlines may seem alarming, the reality is more complex—and more urgent—than a simple yes or no. What’s happening in classrooms across the U.S. today could directly shape how Texas students learn, grow, and prepare for the future.
The National Conversation: Concerns About Over-Reliance
By Kori Ashton
In the Axios article, educators warn that students are beginning to rely heavily on generative AI to complete their assignments—especially writing tasks. Rather than engaging in the deep work of brainstorming, drafting, revising, and reflecting, students are turning to AI tools that can generate polished content in seconds.
A key concern raised is the loss of cognitive struggle. “If you remove the friction,” one teacher noted, “you remove the growth.” Writing, after all, is not just a task to be completed—it’s a thinking process. When students skip over that process, they may produce something that looks good on the surface but lacks the depth, originality, and argumentation that educators are trying to cultivate.
The Guardian echoes similar worries, citing teachers who feel students are “outsourcing” their minds to AI. One instructor called it a “death knell for critical thinking,” especially in a system already stretched thin by standardized testing, limited classroom resources, and a growing emphasis on efficiency over learning.
But the Problem Isn’t Just the Tool—It’s How We’re Using It
It’s easy to place the blame squarely on AI, but both articles point to a deeper truth: the issue is not the technology itself, but how we’re integrating it into learning environments.
If students are using ChatGPT to avoid thinking, that’s a pedagogical problem—not a purely technological one. The real challenge is not just preventing misuse, but reframing AI as a tool for thinking, rather than a shortcut around it.
In its current form, AI doesn’t truly “understand” anything. It can remix and rephrase ideas, simulate fluency, and offer impressive mimicry. But without human intervention—without intentional instruction, scaffolding, and guidance—it won’t foster the kind of deep learning that education demands.
What This Means for Texas Classrooms
Here in Texas, we’re already seeing school districts begin to grapple with the role of AI in education. Some have implemented policies banning ChatGPT on school devices. Others are cautiously exploring its use in lesson planning or tutoring.
But bans and blocklists don’t address the heart of the issue. What we need in Texas is a forward-looking framework for teaching with AI—not teaching around it or against it. That means training educators to use AI as a companion in the classroom, not a competitor. It also means helping students develop AI literacy: the ability to understand when and how to use these tools ethically, effectively, and creatively.
We also have a unique opportunity in Texas to lead the conversation nationally. Our state is home to some of the largest school systems in the country, a growing network of education technology innovators, and a passionate community of teachers who care deeply about student success. If we can come together to shape smart, responsible AI policies and practices in education, we can offer a model for the rest of the country.
Friction Can Be a Good Thing
The most powerful idea from both articles is that friction is not the enemy of learning—it’s the evidence of it. When students wrestle with ideas, confront ambiguity, and iterate on their thoughts, they’re developing critical thinking. When they bypass that process, even if the result looks impressive, they miss out on essential growth.
So the question isn’t just whether AI is making students lazy. It’s whether we’re teaching students to value the struggle—to see writing, reading, and reasoning as meaningful processes, not just assignments to complete.
Moving Toward Intentional Use
To get this right, Texas needs to invest in three key areas:
- Teacher Training: Educators need support in understanding AI’s capabilities, limitations, and classroom applications. We can’t expect teachers to guide students in ethical and effective AI use without the right professional development.
- Curriculum Integration: AI shouldn’t be an add-on. It should be woven into curriculum design, helping students build digital fluency, media literacy, and analytical skills as part of core instruction.
- Student Voice: We need to involve students in this conversation. How do they perceive AI tools? What support do they need to use them well? Giving students a role in shaping these conversations helps ensure the solutions we create are grounded in the reality of their experiences.
Final Thoughts
AI isn’t going away. If anything, it will become more embedded in students’ futures—both academic and professional. Rather than fear it, Texas educators have an opportunity to shape how it’s used: as a tool that enhances critical thinking, not one that replaces it.
As we continue to explore the intersection of technology and education, let’s not lose sight of what matters most: thoughtful, engaged learners who can think for themselves, ask hard questions, and shape the world around them. That’s the kind of future Texans for AI is working to support.
