As an executive director at McGill University's Max Bell School of Public Policy, I've witnessed the impact of AI on education from a unique perspective. My own children, both undergraduates, have taken different approaches to AI, one refusing it entirely and the other using it daily with a sense of shame and worry. This dilemma is shared by 95% of undergraduates in Britain and 73% of students in Canada, who rely on generative AI for their schoolwork.
We can't ignore the fact that AI has arrived and is here to stay. Yet, universities continue to treat it as a cheating problem, focusing on enforcement and prohibition rather than embracing the potential it offers. The historian Niall Ferguson proposes two educational models: the cloister, a technology-free zone, and the starship, an intensive training ground for mastering AI systems.
The key lies in separating these modes to protect deep learning while teaching AI tools effectively. A blend of the two results in AI doing the thinking for students, which is not ideal. I propose an 80-20% split, with a focus on the cloister model, but each discipline must find its own balance. The challenge is real, and it's time for university leaders to step up.
What worries me is the potential for only elite, privately funded universities to adapt and change, leaving publicly funded institutions and their students behind. This could turn deep thinking into a luxury good, accessible only to the privileged few. University leaders must see this as their defining challenge and take action. It's time to lead, not police, and offer a clear vision for higher education in the age of AI.
