Influencia del uso de las herramientas tecnológicas basadas en inteligencia artificial en el desarrollo del pensamiento crítico en estudiantes de educación media

Abstract

This research aimed to analyze the influence of artificial intelligence (AI)-based technological tools on the development of critical thinking among upper secondary education students from the San Pedro Claver Educational Institution (public sector) and the Divino Salvador School (private sector). The study was conducted using a qualitative approach grounded in the socio-critical paradigm and employed a descriptive-comparative multiple case study design. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with focus groups and practical-reflective workshops. The information obtained was organized and analyzed through thematic coding supported by Atlas.ti software. The findings reveal that artificial intelligence plays a significant role in students’ academic practices, being primarily used to summarize information, solve doubts, improve written texts, and complete school assignments. Results indicate that AI exerts an ambivalent influence on critical thinking. On the one hand, it supports comprehension processes, idea comparison, and information expansion; on the other hand, it may foster dependency, reduce cognitive effort, weaken autonomy, and encourage the uncritical acceptance of automated responses when it replaces processes of analysis, argumentation, and reflection. Furthermore, differences were identified between the two educational contexts. In the public institution, the use of AI tools is conditioned by limitations in access and internet connectivity, whereas in the private institution the main challenge lies in the lack of pedagogical guidance for their critical use. It is concluded that AI neither strengthens nor weakens critical thinking by itself; rather, its influence depends on access conditions, teacher mediation, ethical criteria, and the pedagogical strategies that accompany its integration into educational processes.