At Michigan State University, junior economics major Spencer Feig first encountered artificial intelligence in his dorm room during freshman year.
Like many college students, he opened ChatGPT on a whim — and was immediately struck by its potential.
Learning or leaning? Students navigate AI’s role in the classroom
“I immediately knew that this was something that has a lot of potential,” Feig said. “There’s the big internet boom, the Google boom. Way back, I kind of saw this as like the second wave of this.”
Feig had no experience with AI before last summer, when he began an internship with Owl AI in Ohio as assistant director of development. He now works remotely as the company’s director of development, leading a team of seven developers.
Feig’s main projects include Flash AI and Jumper AI. Flash AI is a tool designed to assist law enforcement by streamlining evidence review, enabling officers to efficiently identify and time-stamp critical moments.
The tool helps officers avoid manually searching through video footage. Feig described it as “an investigator’s best friend.”
Jumper AI is a 10-hour educational game designed for high school students. It teaches AI literacy through immersive gameplay, making problem-solving more accessible for both students and educators.
While Feig has immersed himself in developing tools that expand AI’s potential, many of his peers are still learning how to use it in everyday academic settings.
As the technology becomes more accessible, some students are using AI to complete assignments without fully engaging in the learning process — raising concerns about overreliance and the erosion of critical thinking skills.
At the same time, many college curricula have yet to fully integrate AI literacy, leaving students to self-educate in a field that is rapidly becoming essential in future job markets.
MSU professor Timke said one way to strike a balance is by designing classroom exercises that combine digital tools with hands-on learning.
In computer science courses, for example, students might use AI to help debug code — then step away from their screens to analyze printed scripts and identify errors without automation.
“That’s a good skill,” Timke said. “To be able to do it without [AI], because when I thought I was going into computer science, I had to learn how to debug things.”
READ MORE
As students enter a tech-driven world, AI proficiency will be a key factor in setting candidates apart, Timke said.
“There’s this fear that AI is something that should be policed, and that it’s a way of getting around learning,” Timke said. “I would say, rather than banning things, how can you actually get people to use the tool as a way to align with your learning objectives?”
The ethical considerations of AI are something society must collectively grapple with, and Timke said those conversations should begin in the classroom.
Entering private data into an unsecured AI tool can pose serious risks. Timke said understanding why you’re using the tool, how you’re using it, and the rules of your field can help students develop more responsible and informed usage.
As AI tools become standard in professional settings, students who explore and understand these technologies may have a competitive edge over older generations less familiar with their applications.
This generational gap could shift the dynamic of workplace expertise, with younger employees entering the job market fluent in tools others may struggle to adopt.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
Timke, who previously taught at the University of California, Berkeley, recalled a phrase popularized during the campus protest movements of the 1960s: “Don’t trust anyone over 30.”
“And I’m over 30s…” he said. “But the idea was — it’s like the folks in power have kept certain things in power. The systems need to change.”
As AI continues to evolve, its influence across industries — and in the classroom — is only growing.
For students, learning to use these tools thoughtfully isn’t just an advantage — it’s becoming a necessity.
“It’s sort of a brave new world,” Timke said. “But that’s where things are going.”
As artificial intelligence becomes more integrated into both classrooms and careers, students like Feig are leading the way — not just in how the technology is used, but in how it’s understood. The challenge ahead isn’t avoiding AI, but learning to navigate it responsibly. For the next generation, fluency in these tools won’t just be a technical skill — it will be foundational to shaping the future.
