Transparency Item: The Perspectives section of the Graphic is comprised of articles based on opinion. This is the opinion and perspective of the writer.
Artificial Intelligence — also known as AI — is everywhere nowadays.
Students use it to complete homework assignments, educators use it to generate assignment material and others use it as a therapist.
The Swedish Prime Minister uses ChatGPT to get a second opinion on highly sensitive governmental decisions, according to The Guardian. Recently, the Albanian government announced the integration of an AI cabinet member to ensure the government is “100% free of corruption,” according to the BBC.
In recent years, artificial intelligence has exploded in popularity, especially with the introduction of Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT or Google Gemini, which serve as seemingly all-knowing chatbots.
Aside from its significant harms to the environment and to communities local to its data centers, AI has raised significant concerns in the education system. With its ease of access and generative capabilities, academic integrity and the impacts on learning come into question more than ever.
As of 2024, about 86% of students globally use AI in some way, with over 50% of them using AI daily or weekly, according to a survey conducted by the Digital Education Council. These AI tools include ChatGPT, Grammarly, Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini, Perplexity and others.
Using AI like ChatGPT allows students to put less effort into classwork, as they can offload the work to the chatbot. Students engage less with the material, thus having less opportunity to learn practically.
While I’m sure many reading this were told the purpose of college is to learn, public opinion on college education has been changing, and it’s not for the better.
The costs of college education have been increasing since 2006, by about 41% for private universities in the U.S., adjusted for inflation, according to U.S. News & World Report. College debt has also been rising, with average student loan debt in 2024 being $38,375 compared to $27,759 in 2014, according to Education Data Initiative.
With the cost of college increasing, why would students not want to try hard in their classes to ensure their education is worth the significant investment?
The answer lies in the fact that students are focusing more on what the return on investment of their education is, rather than learning from the experience.
For example, some students justify their AI use for assignments in classes they’re required to take but aren’t passionate about. In an article from the New Yorker, a student who uses AI said he views his use of AI for an art-history essay as “a victimless crime,” explaining that “He was just fulfilling requirements, not training to become a literary scholar.”
This student, likely like many others, is only focused on getting through his art history class, rather than learning from what his professor assigned him. After all, those entering the labor force with a college degree, on average, make more money than those without one, according to the Pew Research Center.
“There’s a bit of an ownership that’s required over your education to say, not just what am I getting from this institution, but what do I want to get from this institution?” said Jonathan Koch, assistant professor of English and coordinator of Digital Humanities at Pepperdine.
Many students might think of college more as just getting the degree rather than paying attention to classes. AI only exacerbates the problem, as it makes it even easier to divert your attention to other things.
The problem here isn’t specifically just with AI, but rather that higher education nowadays is easily approachable from this mindset that’s lacking in learning.
For those who would like to get the most out of their educational investment, engaging with your course material more is not the only thing that helps. Try engaging with your professor.
Koch said he describes education as “a human-to-human enterprise of teaching and learning.”
It’s helpful to remember that on the other side of your educational journey is a team of people there to help you learn.
Koch said there should be a strong sense of trust between students and professors.
“I’m all in this for you as the professor,” Koch said. “In this for you as the student to gain this shaping and forming.”
Even if you are only in college to get a degree so you can get a job, or at least a higher-paying one, I recommend trying to engage with your professors on a human level. The relationships that you’ll create at college are just as valuable as, if not more than, the degree you’ll get at the end of your time here.
While the urge to make your assignments easier just for a better grade is strong, remember the professors are reaching out through their assignments to help you try to learn something useful for application outside of class. AI will cut off this opportunity to learn, and your education will continue to lose its value.
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Contact Noah Burton via email: noah.burton@pepperdine.edu
