Moreover, recommend three strategies that GenAI users may employ to maintain and/or improve their critical thinking skills while engaging with content generated by GenAI chatbots.

There are TWO essay topics in this examination paper.

Choose ONE essay topic. Each essay should not be more than 500 words in length (approximately 1 ½ to 2 pages per essay).

Please note that the reference list is not included in the 500- word count; only the essay itself counts toward the word limit.

Write down only the question number (e.g., Question One) and your answer.

QUESTION ONE – ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY

“…while AI can improve efficiency, it may also reduce critical engagement, particularly in routine or lower-stakes tasks in which users simply rely on AI, raising concerns about long-term reliance and diminished independent problem-solving” (Sarkar et al., 2025, p. 1) Adapted from: Lee, H.P., Sarkar, A., Tankelevitch, L., Drosos, I., Rintel, S., Banks, R. & Wilson, N., 2025.

The impact of generative AI on critical thinking: Self-reported reductions in cognitive effort and confidence effects from a survey of knowledge workers. CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI ’25), 26 April–1 May, Yokohama, Japan. ACM, New York, NY, USA.

Available at: https://doi.org/10.1145/3706598.3713778 [Accessed 6 Oct. 2025].

With reference to the extracted statement cited above, do you believe that excessive reliance on GenAI chatbots could diminish users’ critical thinking skills?

You must take a stance when presenting your argument and provide at least THREE reasons for your stance.

Moreover, recommend three strategies that GenAI users may employ to maintain and/or improve their critical thinking skills while engaging with content generated by GenAI chatbots. [100 MARKS]

Before you begin your argumentative essay, follow the instructions below carefully: N.B. : Paraphrase and quote from the three references below to support your response to the question above.

You are allowed to use in-text citations from the three sources we have provided you with below to support your arguments.

Use the Harvard style when writing the reference list at the end of your essay.

DO NOT refer to any external source that is not listed below or not cited in the sources itself.

SOURCES:

Question 1: Article One: https://dl.acm.org/doi/full/10.1145/3706598.3713778

Question 1: Article Two: https://doi.org/10.3390/soc15010006 Question 1: Article Three: https://doi.org/10.1287/isre.2021.107