What does it mean to use AI critically? Unpacking critical AI literacy through students' evaluation of AI-generated content

Abstract

Although critical AI literacy has emerged as an important educational goal, the construct remains conceptually broad and insufficiently specified for guiding students' day-to-day interactions with AI. This study examines how students critically evaluated AI-generated content. Drawing on an analysis of students' chatbot interactions and written reflections, we first identified seven stages of AI-supported academic task completion and five functional roles assumed by AI. More importantly, we identified eight evaluative lenses that students used to assess AI-generated responses (accuracy, completeness, task alignment/relevance, personalization, practicality, creativity, ethics, and bias). The findings suggest that critical AI literacy extends beyond verifying the factual accuracy of AI-generated information. Rather, critically engaging with AI involves situated and multidimensional judgment about the epistemic quality, contextual fit, practical feasibility, creative value, and ethical implications of AI-generated content. The framework offers both a conceptual contribution to the emerging literature on critical AI literacy and a practical tool for educators seeking to help learners move from passive acceptance of AI toward deliberate, context-sensitive, and responsible human judgment.