Use of AI in Education and Its Impact on Cognitive Skills: A Systematic Literature Review

With recent developments in large language models (LLMs), artificial intelligence (AI) is being used in multifarious ways in education. The usage of AI is not limited to informal settings; it is also increasingly employed to support learning in formal academic environments. With the introduction and widespread use of AI in education, it becomes imperative to understand how its use impacts cognitive skill development among learners. This is especially critical because the use of AI leads to cognitive offloading. Critical thinking, in particular, has been identified as a crucial skill and a major determinant of learning outcomes and a crucial skill by employers. This paper presents a systematic literature review examining the use of AI in education and its specific impact on cognitive skills. In this literature synthesis, we present findings from 70 peer-reviewed papers published between 2022 and 2025. Our analysis reveals a two-sided impact: while AI tools can support skills such as critical thinking and problem-solving through personalized feedback and guided instruction, they simultaneously pose a risk of cognitive degradation due to student overreliance, automation bias, cognitive offloading, and passive consumption. Ultimately, the cognitive outcomes are context-dependent, relying on student involvement and pedagogical guardrails. Finally, our analysis presents directions for future investigations based on identified gaps in the literature, highlighting the need for longitudinal studies to assess the impact on cognitive skills, expanded research in K-12 and special education contexts, and the development of robust frameworks for AI literacy.