Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Artificial intelligence-driven feedback and assessment have become increasingly important teaching approaches in design education. However, empirical evidence regarding their impact on students' critical thinking remains limited. METHODS: To address this gap, this study employed a mixed-methods design involving a three-week intervention with 70 undergraduate design students. Participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 38) and a control group (n = 32), both with comparable academic backgrounds. Standardized instruments were used to measure students' critical thinking abilities before and after the intervention. During an age-friendly design workshop, the experimental group received AI-assisted feedback and assessment, while the control group completed the same instructional activities without AI support. RESULTS: The results indicated that the experimental group demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in critical thinking abilities compared to the control group after the intervention (p < 0.05). Qualitative analysis further revealed several mechanisms through which AI-assisted feedback supported students' reflective thinking, iterative design processes, and problem-solving strategies. DISCUSSION: These findings suggest that AI- effectively enhance critical thinking in design education. The study contributes empirical evidence to the growing body of research on AI-supported learning and provides practical implications for integrating AI tools into workshop-based design instruction to foster higher-order thinking skills.