How can AI help you develop critical thinking skills?

1 Identifying assumptions

One of the first steps in critical thinking is to identify the assumptions that underlie a claim, an argument, or a situation. Assumptions are beliefs or opinions that are not supported by evidence or logic. They can affect how you perceive and interpret information, and they can lead to biases and errors. AI can help you identify assumptions by providing feedback, prompts, and questions that challenge your thinking and expose hidden assumptions. For example, an AI tutor can ask you to explain the rationale behind your answer, or to consider other perspectives or scenarios that might contradict your assumption.

2 Evaluating evidence

Another key aspect of critical thinking is to evaluate the evidence that supports or refutes a claim, an argument, or a situation. Evidence is any data, facts, or information that can be verified and tested. Evaluating evidence involves checking the source, the validity, the reliability, and the relevance of the evidence. AI can help you evaluate evidence by providing tools, resources, and guidance that help you access, analyze, and compare different sources of evidence. For example, an AI tool can help you search for relevant and credible sources, or an AI coach can help you assess the quality and strength of the evidence.

3 Generating alternatives

A third aspect of critical thinking is to generate alternatives to a claim, an argument, or a situation. Alternatives are different options, solutions, or viewpoints that can be explored and evaluated. Generating alternatives involves using creativity, imagination, and divergent thinking to expand your possibilities and perspectives. AI can help you generate alternatives by providing inspiration, stimulation, and feedback that help you brainstorm, ideate, and refine your alternatives. For example, an AI generator can help you create new ideas, or an AI evaluator can help you compare and rank your alternatives.

4 Communicating arguments

A final aspect of critical thinking is to communicate your arguments effectively and persuasively. Arguments are statements or reasons that support or oppose a claim, an argument, or a situation. Communicating arguments involves using logic, clarity, coherence, and evidence to present your arguments in a structured and convincing way. AI can help you communicate arguments by providing support, feedback, and improvement that help you write, speak, and present your arguments. For example, an AI assistant can help you organize your arguments, or an AI reviewer can help you revise and polish your arguments.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?