Commentary: AI has changed the way my students write and that worries me

Students need to experience the discomfort of thinking without immediate assistance, a process educational psychologists call the productive struggle. Because that discomfort is often where learning begins.

Already, research suggests that while AI can improve writing fluency and efficiency of written outputs, heavy reliance on these tools may also reduce opportunities for deeper engagement with ideas, independent problem-solving and the kind of cognitive effort that supports deeper learning. This has implications beyond the classroom when students graduate into the workforce.

As someone who teaches ethics and communication modules, I also think there is an ethical dimension to this conversation.

Using AI is not inherently unethical. The more difficult question is what happens when students present arguments or ideas as entirely their own without meaningfully engaging with them. At its core, education is built on intellectual responsibility: not simply producing answers but taking ownership of how those answers came to be.