This paper explores the critical interaction between students and AI, particularly in the context of written assessments. The authors, from the University of Technology Sydney, aim to understand how students engage with AI tools like ChatGPT during the writing process. They propose a framework called Critical Interaction with AI for Writing (CIAW), which characterizes the depth of interaction across five dimensions: Planning and Ideation, Information Seeking and Evaluation, Writing and Presentation, Personal Reflection on AI-assisted Learning, and Conversational Engagement. The study analyzed 49 student assignments from a graduate data science course, finding that most interactions were shallow or absent, with few deep critical interactions. The findings highlight the need for educational institutions to design assessments and tools that promote deeper engagement with AI, emphasizing the importance of critical thinking and metacognitive skills in the age of generative AI. The authors suggest that future research should focus on larger datasets and more integrated AI support to better understand and enhance student-AI interactions.This paper explores the critical interaction between students and AI, particularly in the context of written assessments. The authors, from the University of Technology Sydney, aim to understand how students engage with AI tools like ChatGPT during the writing process. They propose a framework called Critical Interaction with AI for Writing (CIAW), which characterizes the depth of interaction across five dimensions: Planning and Ideation, Information Seeking and Evaluation, Writing and Presentation, Personal Reflection on AI-assisted Learning, and Conversational Engagement. The study analyzed 49 student assignments from a graduate data science course, finding that most interactions were shallow or absent, with few deep critical interactions. The findings highlight the need for educational institutions to design assessments and tools that promote deeper engagement with AI, emphasizing the importance of critical thinking and metacognitive skills in the age of generative AI. The authors suggest that future research should focus on larger datasets and more integrated AI support to better understand and enhance student-AI interactions.