Introduction

AI is a powerful tool and a significant contribution to education and learning. It is revolutionizing traditional methods, supporting students in their academic journey, and enabling teachers to deliver high-quality lessons. However, there is a growing use of AI that may reduce the mobilization of students’ mental and cognitive abilities. We are therefore witnessing an increasingly visible paradox: more success, but less effectiveness.

A Powerful Lever for Learning

AI is now widely accessible and available in various forms, including free accounts and student packages. This promotes equal opportunities, especially for those who cannot afford extra classes, provided they have access to a computer or smartphone. It allows users to explore different topics, learn languages, better understand school subjects through chat or visual aids, complete class projects, and get help with homework.

The Illusion of Understanding

However, heavy reliance on AI can lead to the opposite effect: reduced learning effectiveness. Students tend to receive instant answers to complex problems, ready-made essays, and completed assignments. As a result, they exert less effort and often skip the thinking process entirely, developing a growing tendency toward intellectual laziness. Dependence on AI is becoming a reality, affecting students’ intellectual and cognitive abilities. They become less confident in their own skills compared to AI and often submit assignments without even reading the instructions or verifying the generated answers. This phenomenon is not new; it already occurred with the invention of the calculator. Before its introduction, people performed both simple and complex calculations themselves. Today, many feel less confident without a calculator, even for a simple operation like 1 + 2. Receiving quick, ready-made, and perfect answers creates an illusion of understanding. True understanding comes when one attempts to solve a problem by mobilizing one’s own mental abilities. Learning then becomes more effective and long-lasting.

How Can We Preserve Real Learning?

It is essential to raise students’ awareness of this issue and encourage them to use AI as a learning assistant rather than a substitute. This involves developing their critical thinking, analytical skills, and problem-solving abilities, while also fostering creativity. Finally, writing independently remains crucial, as it helps structure ideas and strengthens cognitive abilities.

Conclusion

There is a growing number of initiatives promoting the use of AI in educational settings. However, adopting AI without reflection is not the best approach. It is necessary to rethink how AI is integrated into education through pedagogical research, in order to create a framework that takes into account all its specificities. The challenge is therefore to train students who can use AI without stopping to think for themselves.