In early 2023, the world flipped on its head as ChatGPT skyrocketed to become one of the most used apps of all time. Fast forward two years, and every field of study and commerce has had to adapt to Generative AI or risk getting left behind. Among the fields most affected, and perhaps the most crucial to our future, is education.

Ever since educators were introduced to Gen AI, whether through Professional Development seminars or by excited students, they have been locked into constant debate on the merits of this technology in education. Some educators argue that rampant AI usage will decrease student ideation, long-term retention, and social interaction. Meanwhile, others argue that AI will allow for more personalized learning experiences that increase student engagement, long-term learning, and accessibility.

This divide has led to wide disparities in how educators handle AI: some ban it outright, others embrace it as a tool, and still others allow it only in select contexts and with proper citation. This inconsistency extends to students, whose use ranges from seeking occasional feedback to outsourcing entire assignments. Without guidance, many students risk the long-term harms of poor AI use. Thus, understanding how students interact with AI — and how instructional design shapes those interactions — is key to maximizing its benefits and minimizing its risks.

There are three broad areas where AI can impact a student's educational experience. The first is individual learning: AI tools can help students study more efficiently and retain information by offering instant feedback and tailored explanations, but they also risk misleading learners through errors or oversimplifications. The second area is assessment. Because AI can often complete large portions of — if not entire — assignments, educators have to rethink how they design their assessments to emphasize critical thinking and intentional AI usage. Finally, the third area is the student’s social experience at their institution. AI integration can improve accessibility and open new avenues for collaboration, but if overused it could also reduce peer interaction and weaken the sense of academic community. Together, these three areas form the foundation of how students grow as learners, demonstrate their knowledge, and engage with one another, thus making them central to any conversation about AI’s role in education.

For students, they must make sure to reflect on their AI usage and learning strategies consistently. They must practice applying some of the metacognitive skills discussed in this article to maximize the learning benefits they can get out of AI. In addition, they should also engage with peers and instructors inside and outside the classroom, seeking guidance on responsible AI use and avoiding the isolation that can result from its overreliance.

As for educators, they must acknowledge AI’s presence and, rather than resist it, encourage students to think critically and engage in higher-order thinking that AI cannot yet replicate. They should prioritize the most critical learning outcomes and clearly show students how assignments connect to those goals, as well as where AI fits into that process. Most importantly, rather than immediately penalizing AI use, instructors should address cases where it conflicts with learning outcomes through open discussion, seeking to understand the student’s choices and offering guidance.

Educators once debated whether AI belongs in education, but that debate has long since become obsolete. AI is here to stay, with extraordinary potential for both good and harm. The question is, can students and educators work together to design learning environments where AI is not treated as a distraction or afterthought, but embraced as a tool for deeper learning, stronger communities, and more equitable opportunities?