Will AI Undermine or Support Writing and Critical Thinking?

Authors

Keywords:

AI, critical thinking, writing, Automated Writing Evaluation

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping how individuals write, think, and engage with information. While AI-powered writing tools have the potential to enhance cognitive engagement and improve accessibility to feedback, concerns persist about their impact on independent and critical thinking. This essay explores the relationship between writing and cognitive development, drawing on established writing models to assess how AI influences knowledge transformation. While generative AI can assist with lower-level writing constraints and support idea development, its widespread use may undermine critical thinking if users rely on it to generate and refine content without deeper engagement. This essay examines the risks of AI dependency and discusses the need for AI literacy in education and cross-sector collaboration to ensure that AI strengthens critical thinking rather than undermining it.

Author Biography

Joshua Wilson, University of Delaware

Joshua Wilson, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Education at University of Delaware’s School of Education (SOE) and a faculty affiliate of University of Delaware’s AI Center of Excellence and Center for Research in Education and Social Policy. As a foremost expert in the field of automated writing evaluation, Dr. Wilson’s research positions him at the forefront of integrating AI technologies in assessment and instruction to enhance educational outcomes. His research focuses specifically on the ways that automation and AI can be used to transform the teaching and learning of writing. Dr. Wilson is the co-editor of the recently published Routledge International Handbook of Automated Essay Evaluation. A former special education teacher, Dr. Wilson remains focused on improving outcomes for students struggling with writing.

Downloads

Published

2025-04-23

How to Cite

Wilson, J. (2025). Will AI Undermine or Support Writing and Critical Thinking?. Social Innovations Journal, 30(2). Retrieved from https://socialinnovationsjournal.com/index.php/sij/article/view/10003

Issue

Vol. 30 (2025): The Future of AI in Education: Innovations and Insights

Section

AI, Creativity, and the Future of Learning

Categories

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Joshua Wilson (Author)

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The Social Innovations Journal permits the Creative Commons License:

CC Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0

Under the following terms:

  • No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.

Notices:

  • You do not have to comply with the license for elements of the material in the public domain or where your use is permitted by an applicable exception or limitation.
  • No warranties are given. The license may not give you all of the permissions necessary for your intended use. For example, other rights such as publicity, privacy, or moral rights may limit how you use the material

Copyright and Publishing Rights

For the licenses indicated above, authors retain the copyright and full publishing rights without restrictions.