What Happens After A.I. Destroys College Writing? https://t.co/gBTVRTH8z3
The demise of the English paper will end a long intellectual tradition, but it’s also an opportunity to reëxamine the purpose of higher education via @NewYorker— Antonio Aloisi (@_aloisi) July 5, 2025
Elsie McDowell, a student and recipient of the Hugo Young award, offers a different perspective on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education. While critics argue that students are using AI tools like ChatGPT to avoid critical thinking, McDowell believes that many students see AI as an acceptable tool in the learning process. McDowell provides context for this trend, citing the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Schools closed, exams were cancelled, and teacher-assessed grades were introduced, leading to ongoing uncertainty about assessment formats.
AI is creating a cheating utopia. Universities don’t know how to respond.
Source: Vox https://t.co/V6uYPO51S4
— Evan Kirstel #B2B #TechFluencer (@EvanKirstel) July 6, 2025
The return to “normal” examinations in 2023 resulted in a crackdown on grade inflation, leaving many students with lower than expected results. Universities also had to adjust their assessment methods, often resorting to open-book, online exams.
Have #chatbots killed the #studentessay?
This year’s marking season has confirmed for many academics that, less than three years since the launch of ChatGPT, AI use by students has become so rife… https://t.co/vufJ7yUGs1
— Dr. S. Steven Whitaker (@DrSWhitaker) July 7, 2025
students adapting to ai challenges
Five years on, many universities still use some form of online assessment, not because university has become too easy, but as a response to the inconsistent educational experiences students had during their GCSE and A-level years. McDowell notes that being a student is more expensive than ever, with 68% of students having part-time jobs and the student loan system leaving those from the poorest backgrounds with the largest amounts of debt.
Tuition fees continue to rise, adding to the financial precarity. As a result, students have less time to fully engage with their studies, and AI serves as a time-saving tool and a coping mechanism for the challenges imposed by an unstable educational system. The use of AI is growing, not because students are lazy, but because it offers convenience in an education system strained by post-COVID uncertainties and financial pressures.
McDowell argues that universities need to establish clear exam formats and guidelines on AI usage, acknowledging that AI is here to stay and reflects the rapid changes in both technology and the student experience.
Kirstie a technology news reporter at DevX. She reports on emerging technologies and startups waiting to skyrocket.
