The use of artificial intelligence is rising among college students, including those at CUNY. Students are relying on AI in some way or another, regardless of whether professors allow it.
Currently, many students are using AI incorrectly. Instead of helping them learn, AI is becoming a shortcut to complete assignments quickly and easily. However, some students are over reliant on these chatbots, using them to generate essays or answer questions without fully understanding the material.
This often happens because students feel overwhelmed and face tight deadlines. AI is an easy solution, but over time, it stops being a tool and starts replacing learning.
Pretending AI doesn’t exist isn’t working. Students will continue to use it regardless of the strict rules. When professors avoid discussing AI use, students are left to figure out on their own whether they should use it or not.
AI should be treated as a supplement rather than a replacement. It can help students brainstorm ideas, understand difficult topics or organize their thoughts. It should not be used to generate essays or think for them.
Professors should be more open about AI use in class. A short demonstration, even a 10-minute one, would be helpful. Showing students examples of responsible AI use would make expectations clearer and reduce misuse.
Clear rules do matter. Each class should have a simple policy explaining when AI is allowed. This would give students structure instead of fear or confusion.
More in-class workshops would be helpful, especially in writing classes. When students have time to work on an assignment, they are less tempted to use AI for last minute assignments.
It is also important to remind students that AI isn’t always correct, as its job is to provide responses that sound convincing, even when they could be wrong. Learning how to question AI helps students think critically.
AI isn’t going away. The real question is how school systems like CUNY can choose to handle this growing use of AI.
When used wisely, AI can be a valuable resource that supports learning. When ignored, AI could become a problem, encouraging rampant plagiarism and dishonesty.
CUNY’s approach will be the difference between the former and the latter.
