By Dr. Tawhid CHTIOUI, President of aivancity School of AI & Data for Business & Society (France)
Recently, I had a moment of clarity sparked by an interaction with my son. When I asked him to look something up on Google to prepare for a school project, his swift reply, « No, Dad, we’ll ask ChatGPT, » triggered a profound reflection.
His seemingly simple response highlighted the vast generational shift in how knowledge is accessed and processed—and the pressing need to prepare the so-called Alpha Generation for the age of artificial intelligence.
We are facing an important dilemma: How can universities embrace this new wave of students while continuing to ban generative AI tools like ChatGPT? These are not just technological novelties; for young learners, they are intuitive extensions of their daily lives—assistants that help them navigate an increasingly complex world.
Generative AI and the Education System
In an educational landscape marked by rapid technological advancement, some institutions have taken drastic measures by banning tools like ChatGPT and penalizing their academic use. While such actions may stem from a desire to uphold traditional academic standards, they risk becoming counterproductive, out of sync with technological evolution, and alienating the very students they aim to educate.
A historical parallel can shed light on the current scenario. When photography emerged, critics predicted the demise of painting as a major art form. Yet history proved these fears unfounded. Painting and photography coexist today, each enriching the other. Similarly, instead of restricting ChatGPT, we must rethink our education systems, still rooted in outdated paradigms of content delivery and rote practices. The goal is no longer just knowledge transmission but preparing students for professions that don’t yet exist, technologies yet to be invented, and challenges we can barely anticipate.
The Alpha Generation and Generative AI
The Alpha Generation, the first true digital natives, is growing up in a world where technology is as integral as a textbook or a toy. For them, generative AI isn’t revolutionary—it’s second nature. These tools are as intuitive and adaptable as the students who wield them.
Banning generative AI in education asks these students to conform to outdated modes of thinking and learning that feel archaic. It’s akin to asking someone accustomed to touchscreens and voice commands to navigate using a static manual. The disconnection is stark and risks alienating them from the educational process.
Denying this integration not only stifles their potential but also ignores their instinctive ability to work with AI tools as creative collaborators. The Alpha Generation isn’t just equipped to use AI; they are poised to transcend it, transforming these tools into platforms for innovation and exploration.
Generative AI: The Starting Point, Not the Destination
In education, generative AI tools like ChatGPT should not be seen as definitive answers but as the catalysts for deeper critical thinking. These systems are not prepackaged solutions; they are springboards for intellectual exploration.
Consider a student faced with a complex problem. Using AI to generate a structured response could provide clarity, but it should mark the beginning of their intellectual journey, not its end. The true value of AI lies in its ability to offer perspectives, hypotheses, and creative possibilities. It provides the “raw material” that students must analyze, critique, and reshape.
Educationally, this transforms AI-generated outputs into inputs—sparks that ignite curiosity, creativity, and rigorous analysis. Without proper guidance, students risk using AI as a shortcut to avoid critical thinking. Educators, therefore, must teach students to engage critically with these tools, fostering deeper understanding and intellectual autonomy.
As AI tools become embedded in learning processes, the educator’s role evolves from knowledge gatekeeper to competence architect. Teachers become mentors who guide students through the myriad possibilities AI offers, helping them transform its “data inputs” into meaningful intellectual and practical outcomes.
Reimagining Education for the AI Era
To educate effectively in the age of AI, we must move beyond imparting static knowledge and instead foster critical analysis, creativity, and collaboration with these emerging technologies. For instance, consider an architecture student using a generative AI to visualize hundreds of design possibilities inspired by diverse cultures and styles. The AI doesn’t replace the student’s creativity; it expands it, enabling them to envision innovative urban spaces tailored to contemporary ecological and societal challenges. AI becomes a catalyst to help them formalize an original vision that only their critical mind can finalize and humanize.
Similarly, in medical research, students using AI can simulate complex biological interactions or identify potential molecules for treating diseases. But it remains their responsibility to interpret these results, assess limitations, and address ethical considerations. The AI provides the framework; human intelligence refines, evaluates, and transforms it.
By integrating generative AI into curricula, we prepare students for future professions—many of which do not yet exist. Designers will collaborate with AI to create prototypes, engineers will build intelligent systems to solve intricate problems, and legal professionals will use AI for real-time analysis of thousands of cases. Incorporating these tools into education equips students with the skills needed for an ever-evolving job market.
This shift in education is an opportunity to redefine learning experiences, foster innovation, and accelerate discovery. By embracing generative AI, we can guide students to not just use technology but master it, question it, and ultimately humanize it. This dual focus on technological fluency and ethical understanding will empower the innovators and leaders of tomorrow.
This reorientation requires adapting our pedagogical approaches. It is crucial to cultivate new forms of intelligence, such as analytical and creative thinking, complexity management, emotional and collective intelligence, as well as strong ethics and concrete action capabilities. Let us take this evolution as an opportunity to design personalized and interactive learning experiences. In this new educational ecosystem, the role of the teacher will evolve from a simple transmitter of knowledge to an architect of skills, allowing students to fully flourish in a world where adaptability and creativity are essential assets.
Conclusion
It is not a choice between AI and human creativity but a commitment to harmonize both. The Alpha Generation enters universities with unique expectations and capabilities. It is our responsibility to prepare them not just to use these technologies but to transcend them, ensuring they become active architects of their futures.
The growing prevalence of generative AI tools like ChatGPT raises crucial questions about the direction of higher education. Should we continue to adhere to traditional teaching and learning methods, or should we embrace these innovative technologies to better equip students for the challenges and opportunities that await them?
Banning generative AI in universities is a step backward. Instead, we must explore how to integrate these transformative tools into education, enriching the learning experience, stimulating creativity, and preparing students to thrive in a world where AI is ubiquitous.
However, integrating AI into education also means addressing the complex ethical issues it raises; this is another key dimension of our educational mission. Students must understand the importance of transparency, data security, and privacy protection in a digitized world. By equipping them with the tools to navigate these challenges, we empower them to wield technology responsibly and innovate meaningfully. Only then can we fulfill the promise of education in the AI era: to inspire, innovate, and evolve alongside the next generation.