Students’ reliance on AI attacking critical thinking, KPMG survey finds
The rapid uptick in generative AI usage may be undercutting students’ critical thinking skills, a recent survey from KPMG found. The Big Four accountancy polled 684 high school, college, university, and vocational students in Canada in August and September.
Nearly three-quarters (73%) of Canadian students now rely on generative AI for their schoolwork, up from 59% in 2024 and 52% in 2023.
Nearly half (48%) of students believe their critical thinking skills have deteriorated since they started using it, while 66% said they don’t think they’re learning or retaining as much knowledge.
A central part of the traditional educational process is developing a student’s ability to analyze information, think critically, and make independent conclusions. The crutch of generative AI teaches students how to write prompts instead of research papers, with some effort allocated to masking their AI paper trail (look ma, no em-dashes). But if all a graduate can do is regurgitate ChatGPT outputs, what value do they provide to a potential employer?
"The point of higher education is for students to develop critical thinking skills, not avoid them," said Rob Clayton, partner and national education practice leader for KPMG. “If students use AI only to save time, they risk trading convenience for comprehension, leaving behind critical thinking, knowledge retention, and the ability to adapt in a fast-changing world.”
Approximately 45% of students said their first instinct is to use AI when they get an assignment rather than writing the first draft themselves. A quarter of students use AI for every assignment or every day, up from 10% last year.
Widespread AI usage has prompted educational institutions to revamp their teaching methods. Essays and take-home assignments have been rendered obsolete by AI, and professors would rather devote their energy to teaching instead of policing broccoli-haired prompt generators.
As such, schools and universities are increasingly opting for “blue-book” in-class assignments and testing to judge the learning and retention of their pupils.
"As AI tools become more integrated into students’ academic lives, it’s essential that educators rethink their teaching methods and assessment strategies to ensure students are still using critical thinking skills and genuine learning continues," said Clayton. "Emphasizing more oral presentations and in-class discussions can provide valuable opportunities for students to demonstrate their understanding, think critically on their feet, and building on the information AI generated for them."
Generative AI is also undermining students’ social connections and social trust. Sixty percent said they feel safer asking personal questions to AI rather than a friend of family member, while 52% said they sometimes trust AI more than humans.
“Digital tools are changing the way humans interact, learn, and operate. Educators can help their students balance this shift by fostering more opportunities for meaningful, peer-to-peer interactions," said Clayton.
