Source
The Harvard Crimson
Summary
The authors argue that generative AI tools fundamentally conflict with what a humanities education aims to do: teach students how to think, read, write, and argue as humans do, rather than delegating those tasks to machines. They claim AI can polish writing but misses the point of learning through struggle, critique, and revision. The piece calls for banning generative AI in humanities courses, saying that even mild uses still sidestep essential intellectual growth. Imperfect, difficult writing is better for learning than polished AI‑assisted work.
Key Points
- AI polishing undermines the learning process of struggle and critique.
- Imperfect essays without AI are more educational.
- Inconsistent policies across faculty cause confusion.
- Humanities should preserve authentic human expression and critical thinking.
- Banning AI helps preserve rigor and humanistic values.
Keywords
URL
https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2025/9/9/chiocco-farrell-harvard-ai/
Summary generated by ChatGPT 5
