ChatGPT or Gemini are AIs increasingly used in everyday life, and for students tools to learn or even do homework. A study conducted by MIT University shows that those who use artificial intelligence become easily addicted and find it difficult to manage without such tools afterwards. The study also shows that brain activity is lower when AI is used as an aid for writing an essay, for example. And then, what to do? Because students can no longer be persuaded to give up what has become an integral part of their world. We analyzed the subject from three perspectives: students’, teachers’ and… artificial intelligence.
Artificial intelligence, between incredible meditator and addictive copy-paste mechanism
“We students use AI frequently, but it’s still uncertain if we’re all aware of the line between helpfulness and dependency.” says Alexia Maria Giuscă, student in the 11th grade and president of the Union of Representative Students from Bucharest and Ilfov.
The new educational reality is also well known by teachers. Octavia Popescu Gavrilă, German language teacher at the “Tudor Vianu” National College in Bucharest, talks about artificial intelligence as a great professional challenge.
“In the last two years, we have noticed a rapid transition: AI is no longer an exotic tool, but has become a kind of permanent ‘personal assistant’ for students. Yes, it is already an integrated part of their lives and education, having a dual impact. On the one hand, there is the highly useful positive side: for curious students, the AI is an incredible meditator. They use it to get additional grammar explanations, to practice German dialogues, or to check their pronunciation. It’s fascinating how a student can now ask the AI, ‘Explain the dative case to me, for example. This democratization of access to explanations is a big win. On the other hand, there is the temptation to take a shortcut: Many students tend to outsource cognitive effort. Instead of using AI as a support to understand better, they use it as a ‘copy-paste’ mechanism to escape tasks”. So my challenge, after 18 years of experience, is to guide them from using AI as a ‘thinking replacement’ to using it as a learning accelerator”says the teacher.
And Alexia has examples where artificial intelligence is an ally in the learning process:
“Students use it to clarify concepts not understood in class, to structure the material, for recaps before assessments, or to organize information efficiently. For many, AI has become a constant support outside of class, where the teacher is not available.”
Do teachers recognize AI-made homework?
Learning support and help, but what happens when artificial intelligence ends up being used for homework? Alexia admits that such situations are not a rarity:
“The truth is that most students use artificial intelligence in their homework, and this cannot be ignored, but neither can it be avoided. However, the differences appear in the way of use. Some students use AI to understand requirements, receive explanations, or check their answers, which can have a positive effect on learning. Others, however, get to fully take over the solutions generated by AI, without going through the thinking and analysis process. This practice affects not only long-term academic performance, but also the development of essential skills such as autonomy, critical thinking and problem-solving ability.”
I asked the teacher Octavia Popescu Gavrilă if she can tell when the students choose the easier option and have ChatGPT solve the homework for them.
“I know my students very well – I know their level, style, vocabulary and typical errors. An AI-generated text can be recognized by several clear signs:
Text perfection. The grammar is often impeccable, but lacks the personal ‘fingerprint’ or the mistakes specific to their level (for example, the specific German topic that an A2 student still makes mistakes).
Atypical vocabulary. The AI sometimes uses very formal or archaic terms that have not been taught and encountered in class.
The lack of deep logical coherence. Although the text looks good, sometimes the arguments are circular or generic.
A teacher immediately realizes when the “voice” on the paper does not correspond to the student’s voice in the classroom. says the teacher.
Condemned to stop thinking for ourselves?
A preliminary study conducted by researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the most prestigious university in the world, has shown results that can make us think about the relationship with artificial intelligence.
In the research, a group of students had 20 minutes to write a short essay. Some of them were told to write freely, while the others were left to use ChatGPT 4. The process was repeated four times over several months, and each time it showed the same thing: those who used the artificial intelligence had lower brain activity. Furthermore, after several sessions, those using AI performed poorly when asked to write on their own.
“The MIT study confirms what we teachers instinctively feel: it is effort that shapes synapses. Learning a foreign language like German is quintessentially intense brain training“, emphasizes Octavia Popescu Gavrilă.
“If students are no longer encouraged to think for themselves, make mistakes and correct, then the learning process loses its meaning. AI must remain a support tool, not a replacement for thinking”believes Alexia Giuscă, the representative of the students.
Is there any way back?
Alexia does not believe that reducing the use of artificial intelligence is the solution:
“AI is inevitable and will become more and more present in everyday life, including in education and the labor market. That’s why it’s essential that we, the students, are educated about the benefits and risks of this technology.”
Professor Octavia Popescu Gavrilă believes, on the other hand, that students can still be convinced to use their own search engine more:
“We have to explain to them that AI is like a GPS: it takes you to your destination, but if you always use it, you’ll never learn the way and you’ll be lost without it.”
The teaching staff also has several ways in which they try to convince their students:
,,Personally, I will focus on classroom activities, where human interaction and spontaneity cannot be mimicked by a chatbot. At the same time, I will show them that the pleasure of mastering a foreign language comes from the real connection with another human being, not from reading a screen. Instead of letting the AI do the work for them, students need to understand that it is an intellectual training partner. In education, AI should be the compass that shows your direction, not the vehicle that takes you to your destination without any effort on your part.”
Instead of conclusion, AI perspective
We asked ChatGPT how often students use it. The answer, rendered as such, was as follows:
,, In short: very often 🙂
Students use me daily, especially for:
- explanations based on their meaning (mathematics, Romanian, physics, chemistry, etc.)
- homework and exercises solved step by step
- recaps before tests/theses
- essays, compositions, structure ideas
- studied for exams (National Assessment, Baccalaureate)
Most appear in the evening and before deadlines 😄 Not all students, obviously, but the use has increased a lot — especially as a quick alternative to meditations or thick textbooks”.
The artificial intelligence program also wanted to highlight its advantages:
“👉 I can explain it 10 times differently without getting bored.
👉 I correct, explain mistakes and suggest improvements, not just “it’s good / not good”
I asked about the program and whether it is a danger to the students. The answer:
,,It depends on how you relate to me, but let’s be honest and clear: I’m not an automatic “danger”, but I can become a risk if not used correctly. 🧠”
Next, ChatGPT also provided examples of risks:
- Reliance on ready-made answers. If the student copies everything I give without understanding, they are not learning. Memory and critical thinking are not trained.
- If the student copies everything I give without understanding, they are not learning.
- Memory and critical thinking are not trained.
- Shortcuts for Homework and Tests Homework 100% done by me may make them unable to explain in class. Teachers are quick to spot and can be punitive.
- Homework done 100% by me may make them not able to explain in class.
- Teachers are quick to spot and can be punitive.
- Biases and mistakes. Sometimes they can give incomplete or outdated information. If they don’t check, the student can take wrong data.
- Sometimes I may give incomplete or outdated information.
- If they do not check, the student may retrieve data incorrectly.
