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Dec 30, 2025
Abstract
This essay explores whether artificial intelligence (AI) represents a power or a threat to creativity and critical thinking in education. The central thesis is that both realities coexist, and the final result depends fundamentally on pedagogical design, not on the technology itself. Risks such as excessive cognitive offloading are analyzed, which can lead to less reflection and strong technological dependence, as well as the displacement of crucial social and physical experiences. In contrast, the "creative synergAI" that emerges when AI is integrated with a clear pedagogical intention is highlighted: it automates routine tasks, encourages ideation, and personalizes learning. The guiding principle is to use AI to expand cognitive capabilities, not to replace them, promoting the student's epistemic responsibility. To this end, the Responsible Creative SynergAI Model (RCSM) is proposed, which operates at the classroom, program, and institutional levels. This framework seeks to maximize the benefits of AI in the development of critical thinking, minimizing dependence and ensuring equitable integration. Ultimately, AI acts as a multiplier of the pedagogical practices that are encouraged
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