AI as a Sounding Board
AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, etc., are all based on asking questions and receiving answers in a chat conversation – even though both questions and answers can contain more than just text, such as images or audio files. Students (and their teachers) thus have access to an tireless dialogue partner, around the clock.
Naturally, generative AI should not be seen as a replacement for discussions with classmates and teachers, but as an extension of the possibilities for dialogue. Here are several potential uses:
Support for Understanding
If a student struggles to understand a difficult passage in the course literature, they can ask AI to explain difficult concepts or to produce a simplified version of the text. This works best if the person asking takes the time to return to the original text, reflects on it again in light of the AI’s response, and perhaps even asks another question to ensure they have understood it correctly – and that the AI got it right.
Encouraging going in-depth
AI can quickly provide students with in-depth answers to questions about things they find particularly interesting during the course, and much more efficiently than a traditional internet search. A simply formulated question can give the student knowledge and insights that go beyond the narrowly course-related and stimulate a more open-ended, interest-driven curiosity.
Testing Ideas
It is possible to throw out more or less wild ideas for topics for papers or essays to get an initial indication of whether they seem reasonable and feasible, if they need to be developed, refined, or discarded. Just like with all other answers from AI, it is crucial to learn how to handle them correctly – one must assess their quality and not just accept them outright. One needs to ask follow-up questions, supplement with other types of information, and form a well-founded opinion on what can be done and why it might be worth doing.
It is worth noting that all the major tools are usually trained not to answer just anything. If one asks for arguments to make a typical conspiracy theory plausible, AI usually declines to answer this and instead warns against conspiracy theories.
Support in Studies
AI can also to some extent function as a mentor and study advisor. A doctoral student who is teaching for the first time can get constructive and helpful feedback on how they plan to conduct a teaching session, such as a lecture. A student can ask for good advice on how best to prepare for their first oral exam or ask for suggestions on different study paths for a future career. Students who are nervous about speaking in front of others at a seminar can get good advice on how to prepare.
The advice that AI can give is often noticeably good and kindly formulated, but can also sometimes be too general and not perfectly adapted to the situation. AI can very well play a positive and significant role, but it does not replace conversations with fellow students and teachers, nor the qualified, listening support offered by study advisors and Student Health Services.