Should we be using AI in our academics?

LOGAN WENZ
PHOTOGRAPHER

KATELYN THOMAS
STAFF WRITER

10/20/2025

Over 50% of current college students have used some form of artificial intelligence during their time in school. I believe AI can help with academic advancements but should have guidelines so that students still learn vital skills.

AI or artificial intelligence has been developing since the 1950s and has only recently been of easy access to the general public. Artificial intelligence is a computer system that can perform tasks that typically require human intelligence. The use of AI has exponentially increased since the release of ChatGPT in 2022. Many high school and college students have been using AI to complete homework assignments, study for
exams, and revise essays. Some students have used increased access to online sources as a way to cheat their way through school.

The overuse of AI does not allow students to develop the most important skills you learn in school, like critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. Some argue that the use and implementation of sites like ChatGPT will help students since AI will be present in their post-grade and work lives. But, to this end I believe AI should not be used within the classroom. AI has allowed students to take shortcuts for academic success, but truthfully students are neglecting their own personal education. I believe personal education goes beyond your time at an institution. I believe people should strive to be lifetime learners and should continue to be curious about the world around them. I believe AI has killed curiosity. Professors have been including their AI policies within the course syllabus. Typically, the AI policies are included in the academic integrity and plagiarism section.

I am currently enrolled in two courses that have very different ideas of how students can and should use AI. One of these, Europe and the Islamic World, doesn’t allow AI. “Students are not allowed to use generative AI or machine learning tools (including ChatGPT, Google Bard, Microsoft Bing, or Dall-E 2) on assignments in this course.”

For this same course, students are unable to use sites like Grammarly to edit essays as it uses AI to power its writing assistance feature.

Another course I am currently in allows students to use AI to learn course material and help brainstorm.

Sites like Grammarly are useful for students to revise essays and perfect assignments, but while it is convenient it does not allow students to properly learn basic writing rules such as grammar or sentence structure.

Within the Alma College Student Handbook, Academic Integrity is mentioned briefly. “Disciplinary action following dishonesty is handled by the faculty and at the discretion of the Provost’s Office.”

The use of AI in an unethical manner would cause disciplinary actions, including but not limited to a failed assignment or failed course.

“When using AI supports your own learning and makes it more efficient, it is more likely to be ethical to use it. When it replaces a process that is critical to learning, or when it supplants human relationships and empathy, it is not the ethical choice. In all cases, remember it does have a cost, and you will have to pay for it later,” said Laura Von Wallmenich, Associate Provost of Student Success.

I believe AI can optimize current systems we have in place, but I do not think students or the general public need access to sites like ChatGPT, even if it is present in future job fields.