The rapid integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into educational contexts has transformed teaching and learning by enhancing efficiency, personalization and access to information. However, these developments raise fundamental concerns regarding the nature and quality of learning itself. This article examines the phenomenon of the illusion of learning, wherein students demonstrate performance without corresponding understanding. Drawing on constructivist theory, cogitative psychology and recent research on AI in education, the study analyzes cognitive offloading, the erosion of student agency, the illusion of fluency and the displacement of effortful learning. At the same time, it acknowledges the pedagogical opportunities AI offers when used critically. The article concludes by proposing a disciplined critical integration of AI that preserves intellectual engagement, provokes intellectual curiosity, supports the teacher’s professional judgment and sustains the formative aims of education.