1.4 Growing Presence of AI

AI Use Is Even More Complicated!

Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to computer systems designed to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as understanding language, recognizing patterns, solving problems, and learning from experience. Instead of thinking like humans, AI analyzes large amounts of data and follows programmed models to generate responses or make decisions. Common examples of AI include voice assistants, recommendation systems, and tools like ChatGPT that can generate text or answer questions. In everyday life and education, AI is often used to support efficiency, learning, and problem-solving when used responsibly.

The rise of AI has come with fears from society and academics. There is a fear that we will lose our ability to think clearly, communicate, and think critically about ideas. These are all things that are fostered in higher education; the thought is that the use and abuse of this technology will cheat students of these skills. There is the idea that using AI will remove the “productive struggle” and we will lose the ability to think for ourselves.

Remember back to our last section on plagiarism. In college, students are the engine of learning, and most significant learning occurs outside of class while students work through dense readings or other challenging intellectual tasks independently. Similarly to plagiarism, each professor or syllabus sets the rules for AI use, and students are responsible for knowing and following those guidelines. When unsure about AI use or policies, students should ask instructors for clarification.

Haven’t We Been Here Before?

Kind of. Every time a new writing technology comes along, people worry. When writing was introduced, some thought students would forget how to memorize. They warn that writing will instead produce forgetfulness — people will rely on external signs rather than their own memory, and will appear wise without truly understanding. Scholar Denis Baron writes about this in his book A Better Pencil, showing that even “ordinary” tools like typewriters and spellcheckers sparked fears about cheating and laziness. He offers a useful historical perspective, reminding us that writing itself is a technology.

Just like those earlier tools, Generative AI raises new questions. But the scale and speed of these technologies are unprecedented.

Ethical Uses of AI Tools: Treating AI as a study aid or tutor, not a replacement

1. Brainstorming & Idea Generation
A student using AI to help come up with broad themes, general topic ideas, or questions you might explore in your own work. The student then chooses one idea and develops their own argument, sources, and paper. It is ethical because AI helped generate ideas, not the final work.

Example:
A student asks ChatGPT: “What are some possible research questions about social media and mental health?”

2. Clarifying Concepts & Explaining Ideas
A student asking AI to explain confusing topics, concepts from class, or how something works so you can understand it better (like a tutor). They use the explanation to better understand the reading, then write their own response. Again, it is ethical because AI is not generating your words, it is just acting as a guide.

Example:
A student doesn’t understand Kant’s categorical imperative and asks: “Can you explain Kant’s categorical imperative in simple terms?”

3. Gathering General Information or organize your thought
A student searching for general background knowledge or lists of widely known facts that all students would be expected to know anyway (e.g., major themes of a book). This is ethical because it is just giving your sources to read and you are independently reviewing those and incorporating them with your own words and ability. s

4. Improving Your Writing (Editing/Style)
Getting feedback on tone, grammar, or structure after you’ve written your own draft, not replacing your own original work. This can be trickier… Make sure that your tool does not overtake your own voice or tone. It should only be giving you service level grammar advice. 

Unethical Uses of AI Tools

1. Submitting AI-Generated Text as Your Own
A student having ChatGPT write your entire paper, report, discussion post, or assignment that you then turn in as if you wrote it yourself. Alternatively, copying and pasting full paragraphs or essays from ChatGPT into your submission, especially without honest disclosure. This is the most obviously unethical because the student did not do the intellectual work. Think of a student getting someone else to write their essay and then submit it with their own name.

Example:
A student asks: “Write a 5-page essay on Shakespeare’s use of tragedy in Hamlet.”

2. Using Detailed AI-Generated Phrases Without Attribution
Even if you don’t submit whole papers, copying detailed sentences/paragraphs from AI and not citing that source is plagiarism. This is unethical in the same way plagiarism is, it is not your own words.

Example:
A student asks ChatGPT to write a paragraph explaining a theory, then copies several sentences into their paper without permission, disclosure, or citing AI.

3. Using AI to Fake Knowledge or Performance
A student relying on AI to generate answers for tests, quizzes, or assignments meant to assess what you know. This is unethical because it is misrepresenting your knowledge and mastery.

4. Ignoring Instructor AI Policy
A student uses AI in some form despite the instructor making clear instruction otherwise. Maybe the syllabus states: “No AI tools may be used in this class or on an assignment.” Or the instructor states that students must disclose AI use and the student uses AI and doesn’t disclose it. This is unethical because it violates explicit instructor rules.

Where We Are Now

Think of AI as a study partner to help brainstorm, clarify concepts, refine your writing, or get explanations. It should never generate finished assignments for submission. Relying on AI to do the work for you is cheating, academically dishonest, and a form of plagiarism.

AI can be a helpful educational tool when used correctly. Ethical use can support learning, while unethical use replaces thinking and cheats your learning process. When in doubt, ask your instructor or avoid using AI altogether.

AI shouldn’t replace your own work, critical thinking, or your own learning process. You should still reach out to your instructors, librarians, and the Writing Center for help on assignments. Human interaction is a pillar of college education, giving students a chance to develop some of the most important skills they can learn in college: critical thinking and human interaction.