The welcome screen for the OpenAI “ChatGPT” app is displayed on a laptop screen in a photo illustration. More states are considering regulations for artificial intelligence and other automated systems. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)
You’ve seen the headlines: college students are outsourcing their education to AI tools.
The early anecdotes, research and surveys raise valid concerns, but this narrative is too quick to paint a picture of a technology undermining academic integrity, eroding critical thinking or even replacing the role of educators or universities altogether.
I lead the University of Nebraska at Omaha as its chancellor, and I see a different story. It wasn’t long ago that calculators raised questions about academic rigor in math classrooms. Some of us are old enough to remember how “CliffsNotes” was a dirty word in writing courses.
The emergence of the internet and Wikipedia once stirred fears about plagiarism. If you go far back enough, even Socrates had his concerns about the written word, saying “This invention will produce forgetfulness in the minds of those who learn to use it, because they will not practice their memory.” Sound familiar?
History shows us the only constant in education is new technology will emerge that forces us to confront how we teach, work and learn. History also shows us that every disruptive technology provides an opportunity to evolve education and improve lives.
Our challenge and our responsibility is to guide students to use these technologies responsibly, ethically and productively while positioning them to navigate technological revolutions successfully.
It’s why UNO in the last year alone has launched an AI Learning Lab, partnered with Open AI on a ChatGPT enterprise solution for our campus and established one of the nation’s first undergraduate degrees in artificial intelligence.
It’s also why we are inviting the community to learn about the practical ways they can use generative AI at our OMA x AI event in October. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that as an institution, we don’t view AI as a threat, but as a tool that can deepen learning, expand opportunity and strengthen workforce readiness.
First, AI can help students succeed in their academic journey. Adaptive learning platforms powered by AI can provide personalized tutoring, helping identify when a student is struggling and offering targeted resources to get them back on track. For first-generation students, working parents or learners from any number of social or economic backgrounds, AI can be a powerful equalizer, offering support that makes higher education more achievable.
Second, AI is already reshaping the workforce our students will enter. From healthcare and logistics to business and the arts, employers are seeking graduates who are comfortable using AI-enabled tools to maximize their human creativity. If universities shy away from this, we risk sending students into the job market unprepared.
Third, we must prepare students with skills and experiences that AI cannot easily replicate. Critical thinking, ethical reasoning, leadership, empathy and the ability to work collaboratively are all competencies that remain uniquely human, and they will only grow in value as AI becomes more prevalent.
This means connecting students to experiential learning opportunities like internships, service learning and community-based research, in which human judgment and creativity are essential. It also means evolving how we teach so students can pair technical skills with AI-resistant strengths. This could look like a business major learning both data analytics and communication skills so they can lead teams and close deals or a fine arts student exploring digital design alongside creative expression that AI cannot imitate. By blending innovation with timeless human skills, we give students a competitive edge that endures beyond the latest technological shift.
Finally, AI opens doors for deeper community engagement and impact. As the leader of Nebraska’s public urban metropolitan university, it is my responsibility to ensure we are partnering with local industries, schools and civic leaders to ensure Omaha and Nebraska remain competitive. My counterparts at universities across the country share that responsibility. By embracing AI in teaching, learning, research and service, we can help tackle challenges in medicine, nutrition, community safety, business, teaching and so much more.
None of this means abandoning our responsibility to teach integrity, critical thinking and ethics. Students need to learn how to use AI, but also how to question it, validate it and apply it thoughtfully. That is the true work of higher education: not to avoid new technologies but to prepare students to navigate them wisely.
AI should not replace the human element of education. It should amplify it. By embracing this moment with optimism and responsibility, we can ensure that AI helps us do what we have always done best: empower students, strengthen communities and transform lives.
Joanne Li became the 16th chancellor of the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 2021.
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