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As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to influence everything from basic writing to research design, two questions frequently come up from colleagues and students: What jobs will AI take, and how do we stop students from misusing it? These concerns, while understandable, distract us from deeper thinking: AI is not just about automating tasks, it’s potentially redefining what it means to be an expert. If we want to prepare CAFNR students for the future, we need to rethink the skills that we teach and how we teach them. At present, generative AI tools like ChatGPT can quickly draft essays, summarize articles, and even recommend crop treatments based on large datasets or mere images. However, these tools lack what humans ultimately provide: context, ethics, details, and judgment. In the context of AI, the next generation of professionals won’t succeed by memorizing facts alone, they’ll need to be able to think critically about these tools. This is where AI literacy comes in. It seems like just yesterday, we were teaching students about responsible internet use. We must now help them develop an understanding of effective prompt writing, evaluating accuracy and bias, ethically integrating AI, and knowing when human reasoning should override machine suggestions. This shift will have major implications for instruction. Rather than permitting or banning AI tools altogether, perhaps we should consider a more balanced approach: - Use syllabus statements to guide acceptable AI use in the classroom
- Assign projects in which students critique AI generated responses
- Assign reflections on what AI got wrong, and why it happened
CAFNR students are entering fields where AI is already part of the environment, and employers could place value on graduates who can collaborate with AI to produce meaningful outputs. In short, AI isn’t replacing experts, it’s redefining them. For instructors, when integrating AI into the classroom, rather than altering our standards we should raise our expectations. Our goal isn’t to just gatekeep knowledge, but to equip students with confidence, judgement, and critical thinking skills needed to thrive in a world where AI is both a challenge and a collaborator (see infographic above). For more resources on ethical AI use, visit the MU Provost’s Office page: AI and the Learning Environment – Office of the Provost You can also reach out to our AI Standing Committee and Fellows team for personalized guidance: Artificial Intelligence Committee // Campus Standing Committees Media: - University of Florida. AI Literacy Across the Curriculum. Developing Career-Ready Graduates: The Importance of AI Literacy Across the Curriculum – Media and Learning Association
- University of Texas at San Antonio. Sample Syllabus Statements for Student Use of Generative AI in Coursework.
- Arxiv.org. Prompting Critical Thinking: Encouraging Students to Critique AI-generated Responses (2024).
- Missouri Online. Generative AI Faculty Guidance – AI Syllabus Information.
Daniel Credeur, Ph.D., CAFNR AI Fellow |
