AI in Academic Settings: Helpful or Harmful?

The recent years have shown a rise in the usage of artificial intelligence that has many students, educators and parents alike wondering if this new technology is a benefit or a burden in the classroom setting.

According to an article in the World Economic Forum, 71% of teachers and 65% of students say that AI tools are essential for students’ success in college and at work. 

This article argues that AI in education should be a collaboration between teachers and technology. AI can handle some of the heavy lifting by analyzing student patterns and identifying learning gaps to cater to individual student needs. This would give teachers a greater opportunity to focus on creating more engaging lessons. The future is about utilizing the best of both worlds to automate time-consuming tasks. This will allow educators to devote more effort to creating meaningful learning experiences. AI is reshaping industries worldwide, and the classroom presents a unique opportunity to enhance teachers’ capabilities, not replace them.

General Concerns about AI Usage

Students have raised concerns about their future careers due to the use of AI in academic settings. They understand that computer-generated programs have the potential to affect the job market.

“As a journalism student, the rise of AI is obviously concerning,” said UWM JAMS major Dorothy Carpenter. “We don’t really know what’s going to happen or how it’s going to be used. Overall, I’m not super worried about it. I don’t think that AI can replace human emotion, which is something high-quality writing needs. As humans, I think we value emotion, so I think journalism has some protections because of that.” 

Educators resemble journalists because they require a strong understanding of people. Teachers have honed their interpersonal skills with their students, but AI could help fill in the gaps. AI can help most overworked and underpaid educators avoid burnout by providing extra assistance, especially in a career that is so crucial to society. 

Recent Pew Research Data surveyed a group of educators. Six percent believed that there was more benefit than harm in AI usage in the classroom. Thirty-two percent of the surveyed teachers believed that AI usage is an equal mix of the two. Twenty-five percent believed it to be more harm than a benefit. 

Use of AI in Education

The report found that 69% of teachers said AI tools have improved their teaching methods. Fifty-nine percent said AI has enabled more personalized learning. Fifty-five percent said AI has given them more time to interact directly with students. On the other hand, 71% of teachers said student use of AI has created an additional burden on them to understand whether a student’s work is their own.

The same study states that 69% of teachers use AI for curriculum development. Fifty percent use it for student engagement and 48% of teachers use it for professional development and grading. Sixty-four percent of students have been using AI for tutoring, and 49% use it for college and career advice. AI is helpful in terms of assisting teachers in finishing tasks quickly and having more time to commit to other priorities, but there is no proof that AI is as helpful for students because it deters them from putting in the effort to learn the material. 

Educators Concern about AI Usage

An article in Education Week on the downsides of AI for students details that there has also been an increase in concern regarding AI usage in the classroom. 

In the 2024-25 school year, 85% of teachers and 86% of students used AI in their academics, according to a report released by the Nonprofit Center for Democracy and Technology. The report states that AI is hurting students’ ability to develop meaningful relationships with their teachers. Half of the students surveyed state that AI makes them feel less connected to their teachers. Fifty percent of parents and 47% of teachers also report concerns about a decrease in peer-to-peer connections. Experts suggest putting meaningful guidelines around the usage of AI, especially in the classroom. 

“As many hype up the possibilities for AI to transform education, we cannot let the negative impact on students get lost in the shuffle,” said Elizabeth Laird, director of the Equity in Civic Technology Project at the Center for Democracy and Technology, in a press release.

Parental Concerns about AI Usage

Thirty-one percent of the students surveyed also reported using AI for personal, non-school-related reasons. Over two-thirds of the participating parents said that they had no idea how their children were interacting with AI. There can be complications when students start to converse with AI. This links back to teacher and parent concerns over students’ peer-to-peer connections. 

“Our research shows AI use in schools comes with real risks, like large-scale data breaches, tech-fueled sexual harassment and bullying, and treating students unfairly,” Laird said. “Acknowledging those risks enables education leaders, policymakers, and communities to mount prevention and response efforts so that the positive uses of AI are not overshadowed by harm to students.

Conclusion

The study summarizes that teachers need to be better trained in AI, and students need more AI literacy. Less than half of the teachers surveyed have participated in AI training. Fewer than half of the students reported that their schools trained them to use AI. It seems artificial intelligence is here to stay. The best course of action is to integrate it into the classroom in meaningful ways and teach students how to successfully harness the technology for their future careers.