Generative AI and the Transformation of Students Cognitive Experiences A Phenomenological Study of Learning and Metacognitive Awareness

Abstract

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is increasingly embedded in higher education, yet its influence on students’ lived cognitive experiences remains insufficiently understood deeply today. This study explores how university students experience changes in thinking after using GenAI, how they employ metacognitive awareness during AI interaction, and how they make meaning of GenAI in learning and academic decision-making. A qualitative phenomenological approach was employed with university students who had sustained experience using GenAI for academic purposes. Data were collected through individual semi-structured in-depth interviews and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. The findings indicate that GenAI transformed students’ information-seeking practices by helping them identify concepts, formulate search directions, and reduce uncertainty at the beginning of academic inquiry. Students also experienced changes in problem understanding and idea generation, using AI to decompose complex tasks and explore alternative perspectives. At the same time, participants reported emerging concerns about dependency when AI was accessed before independent thinking. Metacognitive awareness appeared through monitoring, evaluating, verifying, and reflecting on AI-generated information, particularly when students compared responses with scholarly sources. Participants ultimately interpreted GenAI as an assistant, learning partner, and shortcut, depending on their learning goals and degree of cognitive engagement. The study concludes that GenAI reshapes students’ cognitive experiences through a dynamic tension between cognitive augmentation and dependency, highlighting the importance of metacognitive regulation and responsible AI-supported learning.