In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has become an increasingly popular tool among university students, raising both opportunities and concerns. While AI offers speed and convenience, educators are beginning to worry about its impact on learning and critical thinking.
Between 2022 and 2023, AI tools such as ChatGPT experienced a major surge in use, with many people turning to them to solve problems within minutes. Students have quickly adopted these systems to complete assignments, write essays, and even summarize course material.
For some, this shift has led to a decline in personal effort. Instead of engaging in traditional methods such as reading books, conducting in-depth research, or visiting the library, many students now rely heavily on AI to handle their academic tasks.
Why are students relying more on AI?
Roger Uwineza, a student at Mount Kigali University, explains why AI has become so appealing:
“AI makes things easier. Some tasks feel like a burden to us, but not to AI. So in that case, you have to trust AI.”
Students cite several reasons for turning to AI: it corrects grammar, generates summaries, and provides quick responses to complex questions. For many, it feels more efficient than working through problems on their own.
However, this growing dependence has sparked a debate: are students improving their learning experience, or avoiding the mental effort needed to build real knowledge?
Is using AI good or bad?
AI has clear benefits. It can correct grammatical errors, help students understand difficult questions, and boost productivity. When used wisely, it can support learning and offer a helpful bridge to difficult subjects.
But over-reliance on AI also has drawbacks. A recent study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) found that students who frequently use AI tools like ChatGPT showed decreased memory, lower critical thinking ability, and reduced brain activity, based on EEG scans of 54 students over four months.
According to the study, these students produced less original work and had trouble recalling what they had written. Even when they switched back to working without AI, they remained mentally passive.
Researchers concluded that AI should be used as a support, not a substitute, for human thinking.
Educators urge responsible use
Lecturers are increasingly advising students to be cautious with AI. Festus Irungu, a lecturer at Mount Kigali University, encourages his students to embrace AI as a tool, but to avoid replacing their own reasoning and creativity.
“AI should help you think better, not think for you,” he often tells his students.
As AI becomes more embedded in education, the key message is clear: “The future isn’t ‘AI vs. humans’—it’s ‘humans using AI wisely.’”
The rise of AI in the classroom signals a turning point in how students learn and interact with knowledge. But as smart technology grows smarter, the challenge remains: ensuring that human minds stay sharp.
