Pakistan needs government-led AI policies in education to prevent misuse and protect critical thinking
- Clear guidelines should define acceptable AI usage, integrate AI literacy into curricula, and train teachers to detect and guide responsible use
Rizwan Illahi
In the last two years, Pakistan’s classrooms have quietly entered a new digital era. From school homework to university level research, students are more dependent on AI tools like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Quillbot, often without their teachers’ knowledge. What started as a shortcut has evolved into a common practice and in numerous instances, an addiction. This change has drawn our attention to how students approach studying finishing tasks and getting ready, for exams. With no clear national policy and limited teacher training, Pakistan now faces a critical question: how should AI is managed in education before it becomes unmanageable?
Students are secretly using AI to generate essays, summaries, and numerical problem solutions. By using AI platforms, students can easily create notes with quick and easy explanations. This not only saves time but also reduces the effort they would otherwise expend finding solutions themselves. AI additionally enables learners to revisit content ahead of tests without depending on conventional notes or textbooks.
Read: The Cognitive Cost of Convenience: Reclaiming Student Thinking in the AI Era
Consequently a significant number of students have transitioned entirely from textbooks to AI generated content frequently disregarding syllabus completeness or genuine comprehension. According to UNESCO, more than 80% of students worldwide now rely on AI tools. This trend reflects the scale at which young learners are outscoring their thinking to digital platforms. The main reason is that, they were confident because they can feed any syllabus or content into AI tools and get ready made material even content they might not find in textbooks.
However, excessive dependence on AI does not benefit youth; instead, it weakens critical thinking skills. As the philosopher Immanuel Kant explained, “Thinking requires courage; technology reduces this effort.” Kant would argue that when students let AI think for them, they surrender their independence and fall into self-imposed immaturity, using shortcuts that discourage personal intellectual effort.
The main reason students turn to AI is rooted in early education practices. At the pre-learning stage, students are primarily taught to memorize rather than develop their innate abilities. Instead of building critical thinking, teachers focus on rote memorization. When students later face real-life academic challenges, such as heavy syllabus or complex assignments, they struggle because they were not trained to analyze, and solve problems independently.
Additionally, AI tools appear to offer an easy solution, and students quickly become fascinated, viewing them as a blessing. Yet this is false, AI becomes a pillar, creating hurdles in their future academic and professional life. For instance, the CSS exam success rate in Pakistan is only about 2%, and one reason is that overreliance on AI at early stages undermines students’ ability to reason, justify arguments, and think critically, especially in essay writing.
A Case Study: In 2023, faculty at Brighton University noticed a sudden increase in perfect essays across several undergraduate courses. Essays from different students showed similar structures, advanced vocabulary, and flawless grammar. Far beyond the students’ previous capabilities. When questioned, students admitted they had used AI tools to complete assignments due to heavy workloads. To address the issue, the university introduced mandatory draft submissions and in class oral explanations for assignments. This demonstrates that AI misuse is not only a local problem; even in developed education systems, students rely on AI under pressure. However, proper administrative intervention can manage the issue effectively.
Additionally, Pakistan needs government led AI policies in education to prevent misuse and protect critical thinking. Clear guidelines should define acceptable AI usage, integrate AI literacy into curricula, and train teachers to detect and guide responsible use. AI can be allowed for brainstorming or research support, but full AI-generated submissions should ban. With proper policies and awareness, Pakistan can prevent AI from becoming a damaging crutch and instead turn it into a supportive learning tool for students.
Read: Artificial Intelligence: The Creative Void
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Rizwan Illahi is based in Khairpur, Sindh
