By
BBU Team – name in which order?
🇷🇴 Romanian version: read here – future link
How are students using AI?
During recent workshops on the Awareness-Raising Sessions (ARS) series, we explored with students how they use artificial intelligence (AI) in their everyday lives. The result was a vivid and intricate portrait of a generation deeply immersed in the digital world.
We found that students are familiar with AI and have integrated it into various aspects of their lives. In their personal lives, many reported turning to AI-powered tools, such as chatbots, for advice and emotional support in their personal lives. Some said that they felt comforted by the sense of being understood, particularly when dealing with personal issues. While this emotional connection may seem positive, it raised important questions for us as psychologists. For example, relying on AI for emotional support could potentially weaken the value of real human relationships, and it also raises concerns about data privacy and emotional manipulation. Together with the students, we discussed these issues and considered the ways in which AI can reinforce existing biases when used uncritically.
In terms of academic use, students reported using AI tools to support their studies, particularly for summarising and translating content, or clarifying complex topics. For those combining work and study, AI is also part of their professional lives: some reported using it for specific tasks, such as drafting emails.
But how do students feel about AI?
The emotional responses we heard were complex and often ambivalent. Many students expressed gratitude for how AI simplifies their lives by giving them more time and flexibility. However, we also frequently heard concerns about accuracy, dependency and the long-term effects on critical thinking. Some students shared their frustration at receiving incorrect or misleading information from AI. Others voiced fears about future employment, worrying that over-reliance on automation might reduce job opportunities or change the nature of human work in ways that are not yet fully understood.
When it comes to ethical reflections, something interesting happened.
Although most students admitted that they had not previously considered the ethics of AI in depth, this quickly changed when we introduced hypothetical, but concrete, case studies. When faced with real-life scenarios, the students demonstrated strong emotions and critical insight, offering thoughtful suggestions, debating outcomes and questioning how ethical decisions are made in tech development. These discussions probably encouraged many of them to think more deeply about how to use AI responsibly and how to recognise potential unethical practices in their current roles as students and in their future professional lives.
In conclusion, the workshops sparked critical reflection and creative thinking. They revealed a clear need for ongoing dialogue around AI and ethics, starting from lived experience and moving towards informed, collective responsibility. As we continue our work across Europe, we are excited to see how this kind of engagement can help shape a more ethical and inclusive technological future.
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