With the rapid adaptations and popularity of Artificial Intelligence (AI) there has been confusion among students and staff at Campbellsville University about AI and its use. Whether it’s being used for studying, writing, looking for sources or just plain fun, AI is growing every day, and teachers have noticed an increased use of AI on assignments.
AI is becoming more available and usable every day. People can use AI in apps, through search engines and even on Snapchat. The use of AI has become more and more common, especially among students. Dr. Kelly Lehtnonen, associate professor of English at CU, believes the question around AI is no longer if people are using it, but rather how.
“I feel like I am always adapting and trying to figure out what kinds of things I would let go and wouldn’t let go,” said Lehtonen.
She said the ethical uses of AI are very minimal and limited in the English department and believes the way AI should be approached is also very specific to the department and course.
“You can use it to help you fix very specific mistakes… and to identify gaps that you then do the filling and not the other way around,” she said.
Lehtonen believes the line for what is and isn’t ethical use of AI is starting to blur, and people are confused.
“There is just so little guidance about what’s ok and what’s not ok,” she said.
Her biggest worry is that people are sacrificing their education by using AI.
“That’s going to have its impact on our society in one way or another…I don’t want a whole society of people who differ to a machine to do their thinking for them,” said Lehtonen.
She hopes the next steps are more regulation and accountability on AI companies from the government.
Dr. Matt Egbert, assistant professor of history at CU, believes that using AI’s thoughts as your own has become more of an issue.
“I would say it has risen substantially in the past year alone… and it’s not just students,” he said.
He believes this issue starts pre-college.
“The big problem is that we are not training people on how to use AI, and I think that starts in high schools,” said Egbert.
Egbert believes there are ethical uses of AI for schoolwork. He believes it can be used to find sources and for organizational purposes like outlines and putting bibliographies in alphabetical order.
“AI can produce an outline to organize thoughts and you go and do the writing yourself,” said Egbert.
He also believes there are ethical uses outside of school.
“You don’t want to use it to generate, you want to use it to organize,” said Egbert.
Egbert believes drawing a clear line is difficult. He said it depends on the field, class and professor discretion.
“It should be mentioned in every syllabus whether this class allows AI, whether it allows it in certain situations, or whether AI is encouraged,” he said.
Egbert said as AI evolves it will continue to become more difficult to see the difference between human and AI writing and it may mean fewer digital assignments in the future.
“We are going to have to learn to adapt with AI,” he said.
Egbert sees a day coming when AI is going to replace certain jobs. However, he believes we have seen technological advancements that threaten jobs like this throughout history. He said this happened during the industrial revolution when machinery was able to do human jobs, with the introduction of the assembly line, and even robots doing work on assembly lines.
“There is always a technological advancement that looks as though it might replace humans…I think AI is just the next stage in that,” said Egbert. “So, we are just going to have to find a way to adapt, a way to create jobs that only humans can do.”
Egbert’s biggest concern when it comes to AI is people maintaining their critical thinking and humanity. His biggest hope is that we find its limits and clearly navigate it in the classroom.
CU junior Cali Young also believes it’s difficult for students to know when it’s appropriate to use AI. However, she has found several ethical ways to use it for school, including study guides and quizzes.
“That’s the most beneficial [use] for me,” said Young.
She also said answering basic questions, making grocery lists and checking product reviews are great ways to use AI outside of school.
“If you were trying to buy something you [can] ask what people think of this certain product,” said Young.
When it comes to ethical use of AI, Young believes it all comes down to whether you are learning or having it do something for you.
“If I use AI to help me find an article for my essay, my essay shouldn’t be AI’s words. I should still form my own thoughts and opinions about it,” she said.
Young believes educating people on AI is a great way to adapt to it and navigate it. She also believes it would be beneficial for universities to educate professors on AI.
“It can definitely be helpful for younger students to be taught how to use AI and technology in general,” she said.
Ethical ways students can use AI, according to AI:
– Practice quizzes and flashcards
– Concept clarification (putting something complex in simpler terms)
– Convert written content into audio
– Create schedules and lists
– Fix specific grammatical errors
“Using AI ethically in your education means leveraging its capabilities to enhance your learning without compromising academic integrity or personal growth,” said Copilot.
