The Effects of Using AI Tools on Critical Thinking in English Literature Classes Among EFL Learners: An Intervention Study

ABSTRACT Artificial intelligence (AI)‐driven learning has become an irreversible trend in foreign language education. Scholars are increasingly focusing on this field, yet few have examined its impact within English literature classes. To fill this gap, we designed an 8‐week intervention study with mixed methods and recruited 90 students, with 42 in the experimental group and 48 in the control group, matched for average age, English proficiency and gender ratio. Critical thinking levels were measured before and after the intervention using a standardised assessment tool. In the experimental group, students used AI tools (ChatGPT‐3.5, Bodoudou, SummarizBot, etc.) to generate and answer text‐related questions,…