This study examines the relationship between curiosity, critical thinking, and artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education. Curiosity acts as the initiating force that drives inquiry and exploration, while critical thinking provides the analytical framework for evaluating and synthesizing information. AI tools, particularly large language models, offer new opportunities to stimulate curiosity and support the development of critical thinking in classroom environments. The research explores how AI can function as a pedagogical catalyst that encourages curiosity while simultaneously requiring critical evaluation of generated outputs. By examining AI-integrated teaching practices across multiple disciplines and academic levels, the study analyses how different pedagogical approaches influence students’ curiosity and the development of their critical thinking skills. Although curiosity and critical thinking have well-established research traditions, and AI in education is rapidly expanding, the intersection of these three elements remains insufficiently explored. Key gaps include the absence of a comprehensive framework explaining how AI affects the relationship between curiosity and critical thinking, as well as limited empirical evidence on how students’ curiosity evolves when interacting with AI tools in academic contexts. Using a mixed-methods approach with undergraduate students from diverse fields, the study seeks to identify strategies that effectively leverage AI to balance curiosity-driven exploration with rigorous critical evaluation. The findings are expected to demonstrate how AI can reduce barriers to exploratory inquiry while increasing the need for strong analytical judgment. The research plans to propose a Curiosity–Critical Thinking–AI (CCT-AI) framework for higher education. In this model, curiosity initiates meaningful engagement with AI, critical thinking serves as the evaluative lens for interpreting AI outputs, and AI functions both as a subject of scrutiny and as a tool that expands human inquiry. The framework aims to inform curriculum design, faculty development, and institutional policies for responsible AI integration in higher education.

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Artificial Intelligence in Education,Critical Thinking,Curiosity-Driven Learning