Beyond AI Dependency: Exploring the Effects of Artificial Intelligence Use on Secondary School Students' Creativity

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming modern education and greatly influencing our society including students and the education system. Access to information, modern collaborative tools and personalized learning has enhanced due to AI. Along with benefits AI also has some limitations like overdependence on AI, social detachment and declined critical thinking among students. Whereas, an important critical thinking skills for students is creativity that aids not only in personal and intellectual growth but also helps in converting raw opinions into actions and encouraging innovation and analytical thinking. The current study explores the effects of AI on the creativity of secondary school students in Karachi. A quantitative cross-sectional survey research design was used and both descriptive and inferential statistics were calculated. Further, 250 secondary school students of both public and private schools in Karachi city were selected as a sample of the study. A close-ended questionnaire four dimensions: ideation, creative thinking skills, creative self-efficacy, and over-reliance on AI was utilized for data collection. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression in SPSS. Results indicated frequency of AI usage as a significant positive predictor of students' creativity (B = 0.207, β = .263, p = .009), whereas AI dependency was not a significant predictor of creativity (B = 0.031, β = .041, p = .684). The findings indicated that AI positively impacts students' creativity when used frequently and intentionally, but not merely through dependency on AI tools. The study recommends that AI be used as a supportive learning tool that enhances, rather than replaces, students' own creative abilities, and offers implications for teachers, students, school administrators, and policymakers regarding the responsible use of AI in secondary education.

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Creativity, Secondary School Students, AI Dependency, AI Usage Frequency, Karachi.