Objectives This study analyzes the effects of an artificial intelligence basic course with process-focused assessment on high school students' integrative thinking and collaborative problem-solving abilities. Methods The study was conducted with 63 high school students in Seoul as the control group and 61 as the experimental group. The experimental group took classes incorporating process-focused assessment for the ‘Data and Machine Learning’ unit of the basic artificial intelligence course, while the control group took classes using the existing textbook for the same unit. For the process-focused assessment classes, 7 lessons were developed based on the backward design model, and the validity of the lesson content and measurement tools was verified through a Delphi survey with 13 experts. Pre and post-tests were conducted to measure integrative thinking and collaborative problem-solving abilities, and t-tests were performed for statistical analysis of the test results. Additionally, interviews with students who participated in each class and their performance assessment results were qualitatively analyzed. Results Analysis of the pre and post-test results showed that both groups showed statistically significant differences in all areas of integrative thinking and collaborative problem-solving abilities. However, compared to the existing classes, the process-focused assessment classes showed statistically significant improvements in the overall integrative thinking area and the collaborative problem-solving areas of joint problem analysis and definition, solution implementation, and evaluation and reflection. Furthermore, the qualitative analysis revealed that the experimental group outperformed the control group in terms of the quality and quantity of student feedback and task performance results. Conclusions The artificial intelligence basic course incorporating process-focused assessment improved high school students' integrative thinking and collaborative problem-solving abilities. The backward design model is an appropriate teaching method for implementing process-focused assessment, and further research is needed on an instructional model that includes steps and procedures for process-focused assessment classes that teachers can easily reference based on this study.