How University Students Are Really Using AI

Artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic concept; it's a daily reality that has woven itself into the fabric of university life. For many students, AI has surpassed Google as the primary resource for information and academic assistance. The student body holds a spectrum of views on AI, seeing it as a valuable tool for simplifying complex topics, brainstorming ideas, and even refining essays. However, this enthusiasm is tempered with caution, as many fear the repercussions of violating academic integrity policies.

As the new academic year progresses, we delve into how students at Yeshiva University are navigating the integration of AI into their studies.

AI as a Powerful Study Partner

Many students have embraced AI as a supplementary learning aid, using it to enhance their understanding rather than replace their own efforts.

Eliana Saibel (SCW ‘27), Psychology Major: “I use ChatGPT sometimes in my classes, mostly to help me study. It’s very useful for creating practice questions from my notes or turning complicated information into visuals that are easier to remember. I never use it to actually do my assignments because, to me, that defeats the whole purpose of being in class and prevents you from truly learning the material.”

Tali Novick (SCW ‘27), Biology and Psychology Major: “I find AI helpful as a learning resource for my classes, but I think it can become an issue when it starts doing your work for you.”

Ariella Noy (SCW ‘27), Studio Art Major: “In my school work, I mainly only use AI for explanation of things, especially a software called Notebook LM for psychology. I stopped using it to complete major assignments, but it mainly helps me make good speeches or edit them for speech class.”

The Fine Line Tool vs Shortcut

A key concern among students is maintaining academic integrity. The purpose of higher education is to build a foundation of knowledge, a goal that some believe is undermined by an over-reliance on AI.

Matthew Minsk (YC ‘26), Political Science and Economics Major: “The purpose of a college education is to amass core competency and knowledge as a foundation for progressing in a specific field. Using AI as a substitute for either undermines any value that might be gained. For that reason, to the extent that I use AI (which is minimal), it is as a more sophisticated thesaurus or search engine for finding research materials, but certainly not in place of actually reading it.”

The Slippery Slope of AI Dependency

The convenience of AI can also be its biggest pitfall. What starts as a simple grammar check can easily become a dependency, blurring the lines between assistance and academic dishonesty.

Zoe Mankowitz (SCW ‘26), Computer Science Major: “AI has become unavoidable at this point. Many of my teachers are trying to promote healthy use of AI as a tool and I see the vision but it can be a slippery slope. It has become a crutch for me, while I try to avoid using it to complete whole assignments for me, I like to put my work through ChatGPT afterwards to check it. Once you start using AI it becomes harder to stop. With such busy schedules, it is easy to try and rationalize giving it assignments because of how much time it can save you. Especially for courses that are not a part of my major, I feel more comfortable using AI because the work seems less relevant for my future.”

A New Student's Guide to Navigating AI

For students, the presence of AI is an undeniable part of the modern academic landscape. The challenge lies in using it responsibly to augment, not replace, personal learning and critical thinking.

Elliot Koren (SSSB ‘28), Finance Major: “As a new student in Sy Syms School of Business, there’s no way around it. The presence and temptation of AI is huge. When you have a tough assignment and are struggling to complete the work, it seems like ChatGPT is the only solution. This can have a devastating effect because if you just give up and let AI handle it, you will never understand the material for yourself and struggle once you reach the real world. However, contrary to popular belief, AI isn’t all bad. For example, recently I was struggling with a concept in my accounting class, so what did I do? I asked ChatGPT to explain it to me like I was a 3rd grader and it did exactly that. I entered class the next day with confidence, and this isn’t the only time AI has helped me understand new topics. There is no avoiding AI in this day and age, and that’s okay, just make sure to use it for you, not to replace you.”

Photo Caption: Student using AI for schoolwork

Photo Credit: Generated by AI (ChatGPT)