<![CDATA[This research is motivated by the widespread use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies, such as ChatGPT, by final-year students as an assisting tool in thesis writing. Although this technology accelerates the technical aspects of writing, its adoption has raised academic concerns regarding the potential decline in higher-order cognitive abilities, particularly critical thinking skills. This study aims to analyze the effect of AI application utilization on students critical thinking skills during the thesis-writing process in the Economics Education Study Program, Faculty of Economics and Business, Manado State University (Unima). Using a quantitative approach with a descriptive correlational method, the study involved 112 final-year students selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected using a Likert-scale questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistical tests and simple linear regression with SPSS. The results indicate that the use of AI applications has a significant effect on students critical thinking skills, with a coefficient of determination (R) of 0.294 (29.4%) and a t-value of 6.832 with a significance level of 0.000 ( 0.05). These findings indicate that the use of AI without adequate critical digital literacy may reduce analytical sensitivity and lead to cognitive dependence (cognitive offloading). Therefore, strengthening academic guidance and metacognitive literacy is essential to enable students to position AI as a productivity accelerator without compromising the quality of scientific reasoning.]]>
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