The Impact of Productive Artificial Intelligence on Academic Motivation and Critical Thinking in Graduate Students in Turkey: A Cross Sectional Study

This study examines the impact of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) on academic motivation (AM) and critical thinking disposition (CTD) among Turkish graduate students. While previous research has highlighted GAI’s pedagogical benefits, limited studies have explored its cognitive and affective outcomes through structural models. Using a quantitative, correlational design, data were collected via an online survey in June–July 2025 from 515 graduate students across various universities and disciplines. Analyses using SPSS and AMOS included confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM). The results revealed that GAI use significantly enhanced AM (β = .785), and AM strongly predicted CTD (β = .966). Although GAI’s direct impact on CTD was not significant, it had a strong and significant indirect effect through AM (β = .758). These findings underscore the mediating role of academic motivation in the relationship between GAI and critical thinking. The study concludes that GAI fosters critical thinking not directly, but by increasing students’ academic motivation and engagement. It offers valuable theoretical and practical insights for integrating AI technologies effectively into higher education.