When I started my bachelor’s degree a few years ago, “AI tools” basically meant Grammarly or, for the more daring, QuillBot. Their role was simple – help polish grammar or rephrase sentences from academic papers. Fast forward two years, and I’ve just started my master’s degree. Despite the education system being the same and in the same country, lots around it feels different. Suddenly, AI is everywhere. From ChatGPT to Lovable, from AI note-takers to slide generators. It feels like every academic task has its own intelligent assistant.
The difference in how we learn and create is noticeable. During my bachelor’s, brainstorming meant long group discussions and staring at blank pages. Today, I can have an AI tool challenge my ideas, summarize research papers, or even predict what questions might come up in my exam. At the same time, discussions among peers and students have also changed. We don’t exchange only ideas anymore, but we mainly discuss prompts and compare AI outputs. I personally believe this has raised the overall quality of student work that is handed in, not because AI does the thinking for us, but because it makes high-level thinking more accessible. However, this shift also comes with new responsibilities. Using AI tools effectively requires critical thinking, self-awareness, and still knowledge on the topic addressed. I’ve realized that AI works best when it’s a partner, not a substitute. The ideas still have to come from us and AI just helps us shape and express them quicker.
In a way, AI has democratized creativity in academia. Surely, it helps students to reach new standards in structure, language, confidence, ideas, and much more. Still, I sometimes wonder: has AI truly democratized creativity, or is it slowly making us lazier by letting algorithms do the thinking we used to do ourselves?
Great thought around how the usage of Generative AI can support learning in many different ways. I totally agree on the fact that studying and the learning approached used by students has changed profoundly. Just couple of years ago students would use a whole different set of tools and websites to prepare ourselves for class and exams, now platforms like Chatgpt function like a resource centre to find pretty all the information we are looking for. Moreover, I think it can stimulate and engage students as you mentioned, preparing flashcards and challenging questions to better prepare you for an upcoming exam. On the other side, you find me aligned on the fears linked to the use of Generative AI in learning contexts. Many studies highlight the fact that Gen AI may diminish critical thinking and creativity. However, I believe that Universities can implement artificial intelligence tools in a way that can teach students to use the effectively taking advantage of their full potential.
I liked your piece because it feels honest and easy to relate to. You describe well how AI has changed learning from your bachelor’s to your master’s, and the idea that AI should be a partner and not a substitute really stands out.
I also notice that in master’s group assignments some teammates rely too much on ChatGPT to do the work instead of thinking or contributing. I hear the same from friends who experience similar issues in their groups. It shows that while AI can be a great tool, it also risks making students less engaged if used in the wrong way.
Overall your reflection clearly shows both the positive and negative sides of using AI in education and how it should support rather than replace real effort.