Cheating or the future of education?

If students use generative AI in their school or academic work, is it considered cheating?

A decade ago, there was concern that students would copy and paste content from the web. Today, there is concern that they will let AI write their assignments, raising concerns about AI plagiarism and leading to the rise of services like Turnitin to detect AI-generated text. But the problem may not be students adapting to new tools, but that the education system is clinging to outdated tools.

In the past, education was about teaching students the “right answers” ​​to prepare them for a job market that demanded specific skills. But tomorrow’s workplace is different. We don’t know the right answers, and often we don’t even know the right questions. What we do know is that students will work alongside technology, not apart from it. So today’s education system must evolve, helping students develop the skills needed to navigate an uncertain future using all the tools at their disposal, including generative AI.

Generative AI: A tool to enhance learning, not replace it

The rapid shift to remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the vulnerabilities of traditional education models and highlighted the potential of digital tools. If students can learn effectively online, why shouldn’t they use generative AI to improve their education? And it seems that’s the case. Turnitin’s Handwriting Detector looked at 200 million documents and found that only 3% contained more than 80% AI-authored text, and 11% contained 20% AI-authored text. Additionally, nearly half of the students in their study regularly used generative AI tools.

This is a positive development, suggesting that the real challenge is not whether students use generative AI, but how they use it. Rather than viewing AI tools as a shortcut, we should view them as essential tools that reflect the skills students will need in their professional lives.

Generative AI should be integrated into education to deepen learning, not replace it. According to the World Economic Forum, the “Education 4.0” framework suggests that education systems should focus on developing skills that give humans an edge over machines to prepare students for the jobs of tomorrow. Similarly, the U.S. Department of Education has emphasized the need to include AI and digital literacy in school curricula to prepare students for a job market that will increasingly rely on these technologies.

Just as professionals use AI to streamline tasks and generate insights, students can use it to explore complex topics and improve their problem-solving abilities. The key is to ensure that students are actively engaged in the learning process, using generative AI to help them with their work, not do it for them.

Preparing students for an AI-driven future

In the workplace, creativity, innovation, and risk-taking are essential for success. No one expects the next breakthrough to come from a well-designed generative AI alone, but if working with such an AI generates new ideas, that’s very rewarding. We should take the same approach in the classroom. Rather than worrying that AI tools will stifle originality, we should focus on how they can foster it. Generative AI tools can generate ideas, but it’s up to students to critically evaluate, refine, and add their unique perspectives. Assignments should require creativity, critical thinking, and personal insight—things these tools can’t replicate.

Similarly, AI provides platforms for experimentation and innovation. Today’s employees need to use new tools to simulate outcomes, explore scenarios, and push boundaries. Teaching these skills in the classroom is critical because students will be asked to solve problems that don’t yet exist. Fostering this mindset of exploration and curiosity is essential to succeeding in tomorrow’s workplace.

Additionally, the AI ​​knowledge that current employees acquire in the field can be taught in schools, ensuring ethical use of the technology. By guiding students on the responsible use of AI – including understanding its strengths, limitations, and biases – educators can prepare them for the ethical challenges they will face in the workforce, equipping them with essential digital literacy and raising awareness of AI’s broader societal implications.

Developing education to meet the challenges of tomorrow

Just as managers need to adapt their workplace strategies, educators need to evolve what they teach, assign, measure, and assess. Instead of focusing on detecting and preventing generative AI use, the focus should be on designing AI-enhanced learning experiences. If a task can be done entirely by AI, it is probably not challenging enough to foster deep learning. Educators need to create tasks that require human intervention, whether through critical analysis, creativity, or ethical reasoning, so that AI serves as a learning tool, not a substitute for intellectual effort.

Ultimately, the role of education in the future of work is to provide students with the foundation to build their careers and lives. It must evolve to meet the demands of an unpredictable world where traditional answers no longer suffice. Generative AI must be seen as a partner to education, helping students develop not only technical skills, but also the critical thinking, problem-solving, and ethical decision-making skills needed in a rapidly changing world. By thoughtfully integrating generative AI into education, we can prepare students to thrive in an AI-driven future, ensuring that they are not just consumers of technology, but creators and innovators in their own right.