AI in Malaysia: Unlocking Potential or Promoting Intellectual Laziness? - A Malaysian Perspective on Education, Skills, and Professional Growth

Generative AI tools like ChatGPT have transformed how we learn and work, offering incredible efficiency and convenience. These tools make tasks like writing, problem-solving, and brainstorming faster and more accessible. However, this convenience comes at a cost: the growing risk of metacognitive laziness. Over-relying on AI can diminish critical thinking, creativity, and the ability to self-manage learning processes (Fan et al., 2023).

In Malaysia—a nation striving to lead the digital economy while building a skilled, innovative workforce—this issue poses a unique challenge. Inspired by recent research on the effects of AI on learning and cognition, this article explores how metacognitive laziness manifests in Malaysia’s education and professional landscapes. It also suggests strategies to ensure AI is used responsibly, without sacrificing intellectual growth and engagement.

Convenience vs. Growth: The Hidden Cost of AI Dependence

Technology has made life significantly easier, from Grab ride-hailing services to food delivery apps. These conveniences save time, but they can also encourage complacency. Similarly, relying on AI tools for cognitive tasks may streamline processes but also risks stifling intellectual engagement.

Research highlights that cognitive offloading—transferring mental effort to external tools like AI—can simplify tasks but reduces the need for deep thinking over time (Grinschgl et al., 2022). While this helps complete tasks quickly, it often comes at the expense of developing problem-solving and critical thinking skills. The result is a growing dependency on AI, with individuals choosing convenience over meaningful intellectual effort (Woessner et al., 2021).

AI and the Shortcut Mentality in Malaysian Classrooms

In Malaysian classrooms, AI tools are becoming an everyday resource for students to complete assignments, write essays, and generate ideas. While these tools improve access to knowledge, they also create a worrying trend: students are increasingly prioritizing task completion over genuine learning.

Many university students now adopt a “get-it-done” attitude, relying on AI for quick solutions without understanding the underlying processes. AI-generated work often looks polished and original, making it harder to detect plagiarism or minimal effort. This convenience allows students to skip critical steps like reflecting, analyzing, or revising their work—steps that are essential for intellectual development (Fan et al., 2023; Woessner et al., 2021).

To address this, Malaysia must embrace hybrid intelligence, a model that integrates AI’s efficiency with human creativity and ethical reasoning (Dellermann et al, 2019). For example, AI can support brainstorming and provide basic frameworks, but students must still refine and personalize their work. Teachers play a crucial role in fostering this balance, emphasizing the value of effort and teaching students that the learning process matters as much as the final product (Yannier et al., 2020).

The Importance of Hands-On and Soft Skills

Beyond academics, Malaysia must prioritize teaching hands-on and soft skills like critical thinking, adaptability, and collaboration. These skills are vital for navigating today’s fast-changing professional landscape. Studies show that active learning approaches, such as guided discovery, significantly enhance these abilities. These methods encourage students to predict, observe, and reflect, helping them better engage with material (Yannier et al., 2020).

Creativity, for instance, flourishes when individuals are pushed to explore unconventional ideas or solve complex problems. While AI can provide frameworks and suggestions, it cannot replace the innovation that comes from human imagination and lived experiences. Similarly, collaborative tasks, like group discussions and team projects, are essential for building communication and problem-solving skills—abilities that AI cannot replicate (Fan et al., 2023).

Striking a Balance Between AI and Human Potential

To fully harness AI’s potential without diminishing human creativity and critical thinking, Malaysia must adopt a balanced approach. In education, curriculums should integrate hybrid learning environments, where AI provides support but students remain active participants. Structured challenges—like problem-solving exercises that require multiple attempts—encourage deeper engagement and skill-building (Yannier et al., 2020).

In the workplace, organizations can promote continuous learning by fostering environments that combine human creativity with AI’s efficiency. Brainstorming sessions, for example, can rely on AI tools for initial ideas while human input drives creativity and nuance. It’s equally important to provide employees with AI ethics training, ensuring they understand the limitations and biases of these technologies (Woessner et al., 2021).

Fostering Intellectual Resilience

Generative AI has immense potential to enhance productivity and expand access to knowledge, but it cannot replace human creativity, effort, or critical thinking. The challenge lies in using AI as a tool to support—not substitute—intellectual growth. This means cultivating a culture that values hands-on learning, deep engagement, and meaningful reflection.

By adopting hybrid intelligence and prioritizing skills like problem-solving, collaboration, and creativity, Malaysia can prepare its citizens to lead in an AI-driven world. The future of education and work isn’t about choosing between humans and AI—it’s about creating a partnership that allows both to thrive.

“Our intelligence is what makes us human, and AI is an extension of that quality.” — Yann LeCun.

References

Dellermann, D., Ebel P., Sollner, M., Leitmeister, J. M. (2019). Hybrid Intelligence, Business and Information System Engineering 61(5):637–643. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12599-019-00595-2

Fan, Y., Tang, L., Le, H., Shen, K., Tan, S., Zhao, Y., Shen, Y., Li, X., & Ga?evi?, D. (2023). Beware of Metacognitive Laziness: Effects of Generative Artificial Intelligence on Learning Motivation, Processes, and Performance. Journal of Learning Analytics. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2412.09315

Grinschgl, S. & Neubauer, A. C. (2022). Supporting Cognition With Modern Technology: Distributed Cognition Today and in an AI-Enhanced Future. Sec. AI for Human Learning and Behavior Change. Front. Artif. Intell., 14 July 2022. https://doi.org/10.3389/frai.2022.908261

Miao, F. & Cukurova, M. (2024). UNESCO: AI Competency Framework For Teachers. https://doi.org/10.54675/ZJTE2084

Miao, F. & Shiohira, K. (2024). UNESCO: AI Competency Framework For Students hhttps://doi.org/10.54675/JKJB9835

Woessner, M. N., Tacey, A., Levinger-Limor, A., Parker, A. G., Levinger, P., & Levinger, I. (2021). The Evolution of Technology and Physical Inactivity: The Good, the Bad, and the Way Forward. Frontiers in Public Health, 9, 655491. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2021.655491

Yannier, N., Hudson, S. E., & Koedinger, K. R. (2020). Active Learning is About More Than Hands-On: A Mixed-Reality AI System to Support STEM Education. International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education, 30(1), 74–96. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40593-020-00194-3