Academic Integrity Risks “If your work looks too perfect, teachers may question if it’s really yours.” Teachers have previous coursework to compare.
Generative AI can produce fluent, polished text, but that can trigger plagiarism flags or even false accusations. Students need to understand that using AI without transparency can backfire.
Reduced Originality and Voice “AI can sound smart, but it doesn’t sound like you.”
When students let AI do the talking, their own ideas, style and voice gets lost. Over time, this can weaken their ability to express themselves clearly and confidently. One must also note this can also happen to post-school or employees within the workplace.
Privacy and Data Risks “Some AI tools collect your data, even your writing habits.”
Students often use free AI platforms without realising they may be sharing personal information or training commercial models. This raises ethical and privacy concerns.
What Works in Practice By Showing examples of AI-generated work vs. student-authored work, this can highlight the difference in depth, tone and originality.
Use recall tests: Let students complete a task with AI, then ask them to explain it later. The gap becomes obvious.
Invite reflection: Ask students to keep a learning log, what they used AI for, what they learned, what they still don’t understand.
Frame AI as a tool, not a crutch: Teach students to use AI for brainstorming or feedback, not for bypassing effort.
Students may not immediately see the risks of using AI to complete schoolwork, especially when the technology offers fast, polished results. But over time, over-reliance on AI can undermine their own learning, confidence and originality. When assignments are completed by a tool rather than through personal effort, students miss the opportunity to develop critical thinking, problem-solving and expressive skills, all essential for exams, interviews, and real-world challenges. AI-generated work may also trigger plagiarism concerns or fail to reflect a student’s true understanding, putting academic integrity at risk. Moreover, students who depend on AI often struggle to recall or explain what they have submitted, revealing a gap between appearance and actual knowledge. To protect their future success, students must learn to use AI as a support, not a substitute for genuine learning.
Classroom Activity: “AI or I?” Objective: To help students distinguish between AI-generated work and their own thinking and to reflect on the consequences of over-relying on AI in learning.
Materials: Two versions of a short assignment (one written by AI, one by a student) Printed reflection sheets, Whiteboard or projector, Optional: anonymised examples from past student work
