Opinions Differ Among Students and Residents on Use of Artificial Intelligence in Academic Work

PITTSBURGH -- In classrooms across the country, a new kind of “help” tool is raising lots of questions about what it truly means to complete an assignment. 

Students now can generate essays, study guides, and discussion responses in seconds using tools like ChatGPT, leaving many to think about whether the line between shortcutting and learning has started to blur. 

As artificial intelligence becomes more common in education, families, and students remain split on whether it should be allowed in schoolwork, and if yes, how much is too much. 

Artificial intelligence tools are growing in usage for writing, research, and studying. The debate mirrors broader national conversation. According to the Pew Research Center, educators have expressed concerns about students relying too much on AI, while also acknowledging its protentional as a learning tool if used correctly. 

Some students believe AI has a place in school – but only for smaller tasks. 

“I think you should be able to use it for easy discussion board questions, but not for big assignments like finals or midterms,” said Olivia Burkett, 20, of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. 

Others agreed that AI should support student work rather than replace it. 

“AI should be treated like a calculator for writing – helpful, but not a substitute for doing the work yourself,” said Elliot Osbrey, 20, of West Greenwich, Rhode Island. 

“I think students should be able to use AI as a tool to help them complete assignments, but they shouldn’t copy and paste or use it so they don’t have to do any actual work,” said Annaliese Hrubiak, 19, of Annapolis, Maryland. “They should still put in work themselves.” 

Some support AI use if students are transparent (cite) about it. 

“Yes, if they cite it properly,” said Grace Vincent, 61, of Wakefield, Rhode Island. “You need to use it but also think critically about how to use it.”  

As technology continues to grow and change, some professionals say learning how to use AI is becoming essential. 

“Yes, AI is here and growing rapidly, and students need to understand how to use it,” said Robert Vincent, 72, chairman of Brightstar Lottery, of Wakefield, Rhode Island. “You need to use it but also think critically about how to use it.”

He said that in his workplace, employees are expected to evaluate AI-generated information carefully. 

“We require people to be able to think about it critically and use it correctly,” he said. 

However, not everyone agrees that AI belongs in the academic setting. 

“No,” said Marie Mota, 58, of North Kingstown, Rhode Island. “I think the younger generation isn’t able to write a fully well-written paragraph anymore. It’s just copy, paste and print.” 

She said using AI removes the sense of accomplishment that emerges from completing work independently. 

“It takes out the importance of learning and feeling proud of yourself,” she said. “You don’t get the same feeling like you would from a test or something you worked hard on.”

Still, she acknowledged that AI could serve a purpose when used alongside traditional resources. 

“It’s good for getting information,” she said, “but you should still be using books and other sources too.” 

As schools continue to adapt to advancing technology, many agree that artificial intelligence is not going away anytime soon. Instead, the focus is shifting toward how students can use it responsibly while simultaneously developing their own skills.