Delegation of thinking as a challenge for education

- Кочарян, Артур Борисович (orcid.org/0000-0003-3854-4532) (2026) Delegation of thinking as a challenge for education Наукові інновації та передові технології, 5 (57). pp. 1796-1811. ISSN 2786-5274

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Abstract

The article provides a comprehensive analysis of the phenomenon of the delegation of thinking as an emerging challenge for higher education in the context of the rapid proliferation of generative artificial intelligence. It is argued that contemporary AI systems are moving beyond the role of auxiliary tools and increasingly assume complex cognitive functions, including analysis, synthesis, argumentation, text generation, and preliminary evaluation of output quality. This shift leads to a transformation in the nature of learning activities and redefines the role of the student as a subject of cognition, resulting in the partial externalization of thinking processes. Based on a critical analysis of recent empirical studies (2024–2026), the article identifies the ambivalent impact of generative AI on learning. On the one hand, its use enhances productivity, improves the quality of academic outputs, and provides access to personalized feedback. On the other hand, it is associated with decreased cognitive engagement, weakened critical thinking, reduced depth of understanding, and the emergence of the phenomenon of the “illusion of competence,” where high-quality outputs mask insufficient actual knowledge acquisition. The paper conceptualizes the delegation of thinking as an extended form of cognitive offloading which, unlike classical models, encompasses not only auxiliary functions (such as memory, calculation, and information retrieval) but also the core of intellectual activity, including problem framing, argument construction, synthesis, and evaluative judgment. It is demonstrated that the key factor is not the mere use of AI, but the mode of its integration into the educational process—either as a substitute for thinking or as a tool for its support and development. Particular attention is given to the concept of cognitive autonomy, understood as the learner’s ability to maintain control over cognitive processes, critically evaluate AIgenerated outputs, and assume responsibility for final judgments. The preservation of such autonomy is identified as a central condition for the effective use of AI in education. The findings lead to the conclusion that education requires a fundamental rethinking of its goals and models, shifting the focus from the assessment of final products to the processes of thinking, fostering critical and metacognitive dimensions of learning, and developing ethical and cognitive strategies for interaction with AI. Future research should focus on designing pedagogical models for AI integration that balance technological support with the development of thinking, preventing cognitive dependency and the erosion of intellectual autonomy.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	delegation of thinking; artificial intelligence; generative artificial intelligence; cognitive offloading; critical thinking; cognitive autonomy; illusion of competence; higher education; digital transformation of education; learning process; self-regulated learning
Subjects:	Science and knowledge. Organization. Computer science. Information. Documentation. Librarianship. Institutions. Publications > 00 Prolegomena. Fundamentals of knowledge and culture. Propaedeutics > 004 Computer science and technology. Computing. Data processing > 004.5 Human-computer interaction. Man-machine interface. User interface. User environment Science and knowledge. Organization. Computer science. Information. Documentation. Librarianship. Institutions. Publications > 00 Prolegomena. Fundamentals of knowledge and culture. Propaedeutics > 004 Computer science and technology. Computing. Data processing > 004.9 Application-oriented computer-based techniques Science and knowledge. Organization. Computer science. Information. Documentation. Librarianship. Institutions. Publications > 1 Philosophy. Psychology Science and knowledge. Organization. Computer science. Information. Documentation. Librarianship. Institutions. Publications > 3 Social Sciences > 37 Education > 378 Higher education. Universities. Academic study
Divisions:	Institute of the gifted child > Giftedness Development Projection Department
Depositing User:	Артур Борисович Кочарян
Date Deposited:	11 Jun 2026 08:42
Last Modified:	11 Jun 2026 08:42
URI:	https://lib.iitta.gov.ua/id/eprint/749256

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