I have been researching the educational effects of using AI chatbots and discovered that education of all kinds is suffering as a result of students turning in AI-generated research and writing.  As a former college critical thinking instructor, I am particularly concerned about the effect on learning to think and write that occurs in college critical thinking courses.   

Studies show that 18-25 year-olds are the least likely age group to distinguish between Facebook and credible news agencies, and between unsubstantiated claims of all kinds and evidence-based and logical arguments.  This shows a complete failure of education, not just critical thinking classes.  But instead of giving up, college teachers should only grade on work done in class, leaving it up to students to choose to learn or not at home, knowing that the consequence of failing is to repeat the class.

How will the inability to think critically or think independently at all affect psychotherapy?  The sense of personhood that is so critical to psychotherapy is lost when someone doesn't formulate their own words to express their values and sense of self.  To what extent does our psychotherapeutic method depend on clients who can understand and rationally respond to our interventions?  Is there a way to dumb therapy down and what are the consequences of this?   Perhaps we could rely strictly on behavioral techniques that don't presume fully human capabilities.  Or do we need a therapeutic approach that develops the critical thinking tools needed for therapy?