AI tools can be incredibly helpful when used ethically and thoughtfully.  They are designed to assist with specific tasks, like:

• Generating ideas and brainstorming.
• Summarizing information to help you understand big concepts.
• Checking grammar, spelling, and clarity.
• Rewriting sentences to improve clarity (with your input).
• Providing practice questions or explanations.
• Drafting simple, low-stakes content (if permitted).

Even though AI tools can sound smart, they have serious limits.  AI tools:

• Don't understand assignment instructions.
• Can't think critically or apply knowledge in new ways.
• Frequently make factual errors or "hallucinate" information.
• May reflect social or cultural biases in their answers.
• Do not know what's ethical or allowed in your class.

If you rely on AI--or trust it blindly--you may end up turning in work that is inaccurate, biased, or dishonest.

AI tools are trained on huge amounts of data, much of it pulled from the public internet.  That means:

• Bias: AI may leave out important perspectives or repeat harmful stereotypes.
• Inaccuracy: AI can give outdated or simply wrong information.
• Hallucinations: Sometimes, AI will confidently invent facts, statistics, or citations that aren't real.

You are responsible for fact-checking and verifying any content AI provides.

AI tools can provide information but they can't think for you. Your instructors assign essays, projects, and reports to help you develop:

• Problem-solving skills
• Reasoning and analysis abilities
• The ability to form and explain your own opinions
• The skill to evaluate sources and evidence

These are essential skills in college AND in the workplace.  In technical fields especially, employers want graduates who can:

• Think critically about complex problems
• Communicate ideas clearly in writing
• Understand and apply information responsibly AI can't do these things for you.  It's up to you to develop these abilities.