A recent study conducted by a team of Indonesian researchers has highlighted the potential negative impact of using Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, such as Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformer (ChatGPT), on critical thinking and other intellectual capabilities.
The findings were published in the ‘Ianna Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies’, a Scopus-indexed journal from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
The study, authored by Drs. Suntoro Suntoro, Ida Zulaeha, Hari Bakti Mardikantoro, and Tommi Yuniawan of Universitas Negeri Semarang, Indonesia, adopted a systematic review approach, analyzing 19 selected studies from databases like Google Scholar and Scopus. The researchers found that the increasing use of AI in academic research may lead to a decline in critical thinking, analysis, interpretation, sound reasoning, and logic.
Specifically, the study revealed that AI tools like ChatGPT have affected various aspects of academic research, including topic selection, reference searches, data analysis, copy editing, and translation. The researchers pointed out that while AI can streamline these processes, it also comes with significant drawbacks. These include an increase in instances of plagiarism and a decline in the values of honesty and responsibility in research.
The study also warned that relying too heavily on AI for tasks traditionally performed by humans could foster mental laziness and diminish intellectual rigor.
The authors urged researchers to exercise caution when using AI tools in their work, emphasizing the importance of maintaining critical thinking and human oversight in the research process.
The study was published as part of a special issue of the ‘Ianna Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies’, titled “Digital media and research in 21st-century society: Assessing the current trends and projecting the future.” The special issue was established by Dr. Gever Verlumun, a communication scholar from the Department of Mass Communication at UNN, and supported by a grant from the Centre for Advanced Internet Studies, Bochum, Germany.