The moderating role of academic integrity in the relationship between artificial intelligence and critical thinking among graduate students in Jordan

The differential effects of artificial intelligence (AI) on critical thinking in postgraduate education, particularly in the context of academic integrity, remain underexplored. This cross-sectional study addressed this gap by surveying a convenience sample of 555 postgraduate students from a public university in Amman, Jordan. Results indicated that AI usage positively supports lower-order cognitive skills (remembering, understanding, applying), whereas its impact on higher-order skills (analyzing, evaluating, creating) was weaker and contingent on students’ academic integrity. Structural equation modeling demonstrated that academic integrity moderates the relationship between AI usage and critical thinking: students with high integrity effectively leveraged AI to enhance higher-order skills through deep engagement, critical evaluation, and idea generation, while students with lower integrity showed minimal gains in these skills, often relying superficially on AI outputs. For lower-order skills, all students benefited, though those with higher integrity achieved more meaningful improvements. These findings highlight that responsible and ethically guided AI use, reinforced by strong academic integrity, is essential for fostering both foundational and advanced critical thinking in postgraduate education. The study offers theoretical and practical insights for educators, policymakers, and researchers seeking to integrate AI effectively and ethically in higher education.