Integration of Artificial Intelligence in Academia: A Case Study of Critical Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

This study scrutinizes the role of AI literacy and ChatGPT-3 in enhancing critical reasoning and journalistic writing competencies among 50 third-term journalism students at Tajik National University. Given the escalating relevance of AI across sectors, including journalism, we aim to highlight the potential advantages of incorporating AI utilities in journalism pedagogy. We utilized a mixed- methods approach, comprising both quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques, for a comprehensive examination of the influence of AI literacy and ChatGPT-3 on student skill development.We gathered insights via surveys and interviews, revealing the impact of AI on learning outcomes. Our findings suggest a significant improvement in students' critical thinking and journalistic writing skills with ChatGPT-3 usage. The integration of AI tools in the classroom encourages in-depth analysis and collaboration, thereby enhancing students' writing skills. The results underline the importance of AI literacy in journalism education, preparing students for the rapidly transforming, AI-centric journalism industry.