Staff Writer| Alexandra Perez
In today’s world, all roads lead back to AI. And while that might make sense in a rapidly evolving era, it has also made something else exponentially clear. Every conversation about college somehow ends the same way: AI. It really doesn’t even matter where the dialogue starts… learning, cheating, the future- it all circles back.
At some point, the narrative surrounding Artificial Intelligence stopped evolving and just started sounding like constant reiterations. This poses a question: at what point did this become the only thing we talk about?
By focusing so heavily on AI discourse, we are overlooking the parts of college that matter just as much. But based on the way we place AI on this preternatural pedestal, you would have no idea. It is no longer a facet of the conversation; it has become the center of it all.
Let me begin by being clear: AI discussions are necessary. Nuance is imperative when honing in on this lens. AI cannot be put plainly; it is so much more than just an app on our phones. I cannot even try to negate the undeniable impacts artificial intelligence will have, and has had, on our world.
But the problem does not lie in our collective focus on AI, but instead, in how focusing so heavily on the topic risks crowding out the parts of college that still matter. This becomes especially evident in the classroom, where time is inherently limited. When discussion repeatedly circles back to AI, it can begin to take away from learning the material itself, leaving less room for concepts that are essential for exams, understanding, and long-term academic growth.
This depicts a small but telling example of how easily AI becomes the focal point, reflecting a broader pattern of how AI-centered conversations are beginning to dominate spaces that were never meant to revolve around it. I’m not here to lecture you on what AI is actually doing to our brains and social lives, but instead, why focusing so heavily on the topic poses the risk of us overlooking the parts of college that still matter.
The conversations we are not having are often much quieter, afterthoughts you can only hear if you listen very, very closely, but arguably much more important. It seems it’s easier to debate the impact of AI than to confront the more complex, human aspects of education. For instance, why students feel disconnected from their education, how to network and advocate for yourself, how to navigate the complexities of life and admit your wrongs, and even how to interact.
College is not solely about output or efficiency. It’s about learning how to think, communicate, and exist in environments that challenge you. These are not quantitative concepts that can be measured or automated, yet they shape the student experience in ways that no technology could ever replace.
Artificial Intelligence-based discourse should not disappear from the conversation, but it cannot stay in the way we are allowing it to. It should not dominate available space to the point where there is no room for anything else. A more valuable dialogue would make room for both innovation and the human experience, because one can not replace the other.
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The opinions presented on this page do not represent the views of the PantherNOW Editorial Board. These views are separate from editorials and reflect the perspectives of contributing writers and/or university community members.
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