Title: Enhancing critical thinking skills through generative AI models: mechanisms and educational impacts

Authors: H.B. Vincent Raj; E. Jeslin Renjith; S. Silvia Priscila; C. Sathish Kumar; S. Suman Rajest

Addresses: Department of MCA, Bishop Heber College (Autonomous), Trichy, Tamil Nadu, India ' Department of CDOE – MCA, B.S. Abdur Rahman Crescent Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India ' Department of Computer Science, Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research, Tamil Nadu, India ' Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Science and Humanities, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Ramapuram, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India ' Department of Research and Development (R&D) and International Student Affairs (ISA), Dhaanish Ahmed College of Engineering, Chennai-601301, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract: Enhancing critical thinking skills has even been considered to revolutionise the future of artificial intelligence and has such huge impacts across sectors, especially education. This study looks at the way generative AI models enhance critical thinking in learners based on recent studies; it debates applying them to actual education and their influence. The study adopted a mixed-method approach. One would be to carry out an analysis of learners' performance using a quantitative method and also obtain a subjective assessment of the development of learners' critical thinking skills. The results show that generative AI improves scholastic performance; personalised learning tools raise critical thinking scores from 50-80 to 70-100. The conclusion shows that models increase engagement and positive attitudes towards enhanced learning outcomes. AI integration into higher education faces various hurdles, including privacy issues over higher education data and educator training. The study also discusses how educators and governments might use focused techniques to maximise AI's benefits while minimising its negatives. Conclusion future study could explore how AI can enhance philosophical thinking through creativity, teamwork, and holistic learning experiences.

Keywords: generative AI; critical thinking; educational technology; personalised learning; interactive learning; AI in education; pedagogical strategies; cognitive development.

DOI: 10.1504/IJRIS.2026.155198

International Journal of Reasoning-based Intelligent Systems, 2026 Vol.18 No.4, pp.205 - 219

Received: 30 Jul 2024
Accepted: 30 Oct 2024
Published online: 29 Jul 2026 *

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