In a fast-paced world with the growing use and influence of AI, it can feel impossible to keep up. But maybe not keeping up isn’t such a bad thing. In fact, maybe it’s for the better. Since starting my academic career at Dalhousie University, I’ve gone from simply hearing about AI from my professors to seeing it embedded in everyday life—so much so that it’s almost unavoidable.
In university, professors constantly warn students about the dangers of using AI in academic work. If you’re caught, the consequences can range from receiving a zero on an assignment to committing an academic offence that could result in expulsion. I personally agree with this stance. Using AI for assignments can be dangerous because it doesn’t truly represent your own work, and it can easily lead to false or misleading information due to AI hallucinations. At the same time, AI is difficult to avoid and, in some cases, can be genuinely useful. For example, when studying for exams, one of my most common tools is Quizlet—an AI-enhanced learning platform. If it helps you understand material and learn more effectively, can it really be all bad?
I think the real danger lies in using AI to draft, write, and edit academic work. These are skills that, especially at the university level, students should be developing themselves. Writing is an art that takes practice and effort. It’s how we express ideas, share opinions, and communicate knowledge—and it’s a skill used not only by artists, but by scientists, researchers, and professionals in every field. When students rely on AI to do this work for them, they do a disservice to themselves and to their peers. They miss out on the learning that comes from researching and writing independently, and they risk spreading inaccurate information. It becomes a cycle that prioritizes convenience over growth, and it needs to be broken.
Beyond academics, AI also has serious environmental consequences. According to Forbes, ChatGPT alone consumes over half a million kilowatt-hours of electricity each day, and a single conversation can use the equivalent of one plastic bottle of water. These numbers are only expected to increase. Water is one of the most precious and limited resources on our planet, and AI’s growing demand adds pressure to an already worsening climate crisis. While this issue is larger than any one individual, it’s still important to recognize that our collective habits contribute to these outcomes.
Stepping away from AI isn’t just about protecting the environment—it’s also about protecting your own ability to think, write, and learn independently. University is stressful, and when an assignment is due at 11:59 and it’s already 11:00, using AI can feel like the easiest solution. But there’s something far more rewarding about submitting work you’re genuinely proud of—work you struggled through, improved, and learned from. That sense of accomplishment, especially when it pays off in a good grade, is something AI can’t replicate.
AI is an easy shortcut, but shortcuts often come with long-term consequences. Being more intentional about how and when we use AI matters. The dangers may not feel immediate, but they have the potential to shape the world we live in down the line. Choosing to think for yourself today might seem small, but those choices add up—academically, ethically, and environmentally.