Learning is much more than producing an answer

With the rapid expansion of generative AI tools like ChatGPT, it’s important for students to think about the impact of AI for your learning and coursework at university.  

Check before using AI

At UM, each assignment, course and instructor may have different guidelines for AI use, depending on your program of study; there is no one-size-fits-all rule.  

Check the course syllabus and ask questions to confirm what is allowed in your program, course, and on specific assignments.

Getting answers vs. building skills 

While AI’s speed at tasks like synthesizing or summarizing information is impressive and make it tempting to use, it’s not the same as you gaining insight about or understanding a topic.  

AI can get you answers, but it can’t give you skills. Learning is more than just getting the answer; it’s also how, what and whether you’re learning along the way. In fact, learning is all the stuff that leads to the answer.

Learning is exercise for your mind

Like fitness programs, university coursework is designed to develop and strengthen skills. Activities like writing, researching, exploring ideas and solving problems foster learning and build competency.

Reliance on AI, on the other hand, can undermine your ability to think through complex issues. As a recent UC Berkley study showed, using AI robs learners of the ‘grit’ and persistence needed for problem-solving. The study found that as little as 10 minutes with ChatGPT “is enough to measurably weaken a person’s willingness to keep grinding at a hard problem once the AI is taken away.”

Outsourcing tasks or skipping steps can short-circuit your understanding of core concepts. Shortcuts can also weaken your acumen, which is the ability to make quick, accurate and sound judgments in a specific field.

Needed: Human skills and expertise

In the era of AI, human analysis, reasoning, judgment and intellectual engagement are more crucial than ever. That’s why it’s important to take full advantage of the opportunities provided by the university learning environment.

Do the coursework as required and actively avoid skipping parts of the learning process that build your knowledge, skills and confidence. Do not use AI tools to generate course deliverables such as assignments, projects, presentations, essays or reports, unless explicitly allowed by your instructor.

Attending university allows students to connect with peers and mentors and learn from knowledge specialists. It provides a unique opportunity to build your ability “to reason, evaluate information, create knowledge and approach problems with creativity, collaboration and good judgment,” says UM Provost Diane Hiebert-Murphy.