This research investigates the challenges and opportunities rural elementary teachers perceive in using AI as a pedagogical tool to support student learning in rural schools. Using a convergent parallel mixed methods approach, we analyzed the responses from 45 rural teachers who participated in professional development on AI integration in rural education. Through both closed-ended and open-ended survey responses, we employed an adaptation of the TPACK framework (I-TPACK) and the AI literacy framework proposed by UNESCO to identify the primary challenges and opportunities in utilizing AI for pedagogical purposes in rural education. The results highlight resource accessibility and teacher professional development as critical challenges and opportunities to reduce the digital divide in rural communities. Teachers see the inclusion of AI as an opportunity to personalize learning, reduce workload, and facilitate teaching in multigrade classrooms without perceiving it as a job threat. At the same time, they emphasize the need for technological and didactic resources aligned with the specific characteristics of their contexts, such as offline resources and adaptable AI curricula to address the prevalent issue of limited or absent internet connectivity in many rural schools.

Critical Thinking (CT) is recognized as a foundational competency for professional readiness, innovation, and ethical reasoning in higher education, enabling students to analyze information, evaluate evidence, and make reasoned decisions in complex environments. The rapid integration of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) tools, such as large language models, presents new opportunities and risks for CT development. This study conducts a systematic literature review to synthesize empirical evidence on the pedagogical implications and cognitive impact of GenAI on students’ CT. Following PRISMA guidelines, and search terms around GenAI Tools, Critical Thinking And Higher Education, on five major education research databases—Web of Science; Scopus; EBSCOhost (Education Source, ERIC, and APA PsycInfo); and Compendex and Inspec (Elsevier)—63 empirical studies published between January 2023 and April 2025 were analyzed across higher education contexts, disciplines, and intervention designs. Results indicate that GenAI offers notable cognitive affordances, including scaffolding reflective reasoning, promoting self-regulation, and facilitating iterative dialogue and argument evaluation. Pedagogical strategies clustered into four primary integration typologies: AI-based feedback prompts, dialogue simulation and reflection, AI-supported peer review, and critical engagement with AI-generated content. Nearly half of the studies reported statistically significant CT improvements, particularly when GenAI use was guided by structured prompts, reflective activities, and performance-based assessment. However, multiple risks persist, including cognitive offloading, uncritical acceptance of AI outputs, and diminished intellectual autonomy, especially in unguided or surface-level usage. This review highlights the need for intentional pedagogical design, validated CT assessment tools, and longitudinal studies to ensure GenAI acts as a catalyst rather than a substitute for human reasoning. By identifying effective integration strategies and outlining potential pitfalls, this study provides evidence-informed guidance for educators and institutions aiming to responsibly leverage GenAI to strengthen students’ CT skills.