Undergraduates learn AI with focus on ethics and judgment
As artificial intelligence (AI) tools spread across higher education, Creighton University is moving to make AI literacy part of the undergraduate experience, aiming to help students keep pace with rapidly changing technology while also emphasizing academic integrity and critical thinking. Creighton recently highlighted its efforts to bring AI education to students across all majors, reflecting a broader push to prepare students for a workplace increasingly shaped by emerging technologies.
In many classrooms, the discussion is no longer just about whether students can use AI, but how they should be using it responsibly. Research in communication education has examined how adult learners perceive AI-generated classroom content, raising questions about trust, credibility and transparency. At Creighton, those concerns are becoming an important part of conversations about technology and ethics.
Steven Fernandes, an assistant professor of computer science at Creighton, said, “AI can be a useful tool for brainstorming and for helping explain difficult concepts, but that students could undermine their own learning if they rely on the technology to avoid doing the hard work themselves.”
Fernandes said the challenge for educators is finding new ways to let students benefit from AI without allowing it to replace the learning process.
Students also described both the benefits and drawbacks of using AI in class.
Michael Snyder, a junior in the Heider College of Business, said, “AI can be a helpful tool when I get stuck on database assignments or need help brainstorming new ideas.”
At the same time, he said overreliance on AI can become a problem when students use it to avoid working through material on their own.
Faculty members also worry about hallucinations and accuracy in AI-generated outputs.
Sameer Al-Khateeb, an associate professor at Creighton, said, “One of the many dangers of AI is that students may accept AI-generated information too quickly without questioning whether it is accurate, biased or fabricated.”
He also said students need to be willing to test claims, verify sources and think critically about the answers these systems produce.
As Creighton expands AI-related learning, students and professors say the most useful outcome may be a stronger bridge between the university and the demands of the 21st century. Supporters say exposure to AI can help students build practical skills they are likely to encounter in future careers, while also teaching them to use those tools responsibly. But faculty say the long-term goal is not dependence on AI. Instead, they argue that universities must prepare students to question, evaluate and use the technology with sound judgment.