As the debate around artificial intelligence grows on university campuses, two AAU professors shared their views on how the technology is reshaping student learning and academic integrity.
In universities, opinions on AI are divided. Some students see it as a tool to boost productivity and spark new ideas, while others fear it threatens to kill creativity and undermines the value of doing the work themselves. An international survey found that 86% of students now use AI in their studies, reflecting the rapid shift happening in higher education.
Anthony Marais, who teaches academic writing, compares AI’s arrival to earlier technological disruptions. He points to the invention of photography and how it changed the role of painters.
“That craft has degraded. Has it disappeared? No. We still have painters today (…) but less,” Marais said. “It’s the same with writers. They aren’t going to disappear, but there will be fewer of them.”
Students at AAU said they most often use AI for research, topic ideas, writing clarity and exam preparation, though many noted they double-check any sources AI provides.
“It comes with a consideration of ethics and morality,” said CIS professor Jeff Medeiros. “Am I being truthful? Am I letting it do my work for me? Or am I using it as a tool to help me be smarter?”
Both professors agreed that AI should be integrated into education, but concerns about the student’s motivation and honesty remain.
“I know that my colleagues are very nervous that you can go home, get the answers and produce the paper,” Marais said. “I never wanted to be a policeman. It’s not my calling in life. And if these immature students want to cheat their way through life, it’s their problem.”
Still, not all students rely on AI. Some avoid it on principle or because they prefer more traditional study methods.
Medeiros supports that choice. He compares those students to athletes, training their “mental muscles” by doing the work themselves rather than taking shortcuts.
AI is already reshaping the world of education, regardless of differing opinions surrounding it. For both professors whether students use AI or not, they must approach the new technology with honesty, intention and personal responsibility.
