US universities embrace AI in classrooms, balancing innovation and ethics

Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), particularly through its Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy, is at the forefront of AI adoption.

"We've been teaching AI for a number of years. Our faculties are regularly involved in AI research, using AI to help interpret data and tell the story of the information they collect," David Danenberg, Senior Associate Director at Heinz College, told VnExpress International on Thursday.

"Our students now are securing roles as AI engineers, developers, and working in AI-related areas like cybersecurity," he said.

David Danenberg, Senior Associate Director at Heinz College, gestures during an interview in Ho Chi Minh City, Oct. 3, 2024. Photo by VnExpress/Le Nguyen

CMU, where international students make up 50% of the student body, is going to launch a Master’s program in Science and AI systems, designed to address the implementation of the AI systems within organizations, and understanding the governance behind those systems.

The institution has implemented measures to ensure the responsible use of AI. It has a license for Microsoft Copilot, which safeguards students’ research and institutional data. Each professor is granted the autonomy to set AI usage policies in their courses, as the applicability of AI varies across disciplines.

Danenberg pointed out that the introduction of AI in classrooms has encouraged students to think more deeply about how they interact with it, highlighting that effective communication with AI is a critical skill for the future.

"You have to talk to it in a way that is methodical, and you have to make sure that you think in your own head, how am I going to make a system that doesn't know something, know something? And so students are thinking a lot more methodical now because they need to in order to talk to the AI systems."

Carla Andersen, Associate Director of International Student Recruitment at Lane Community College, underscored the importance of innovation in education, noting that Lane is a member of the League for Innovation, a group of 19 U.S. community colleges recognized for their innovative practices.

With around 10,000 students, including 400 international students, Lane has "embraced AI and maximized the benefits coming from AI while minimizing any negative aspects," Andersen said.

At Lane, some professors have integrated AI tools into their teaching to manage factual inquiries, saving class time for in-depth discussions. In history courses, for example, AI handles questions related to dates and events, allowing instructors to focus on analyzing implications and lessons from historical events.

"This approach gives students the opportunity to engage in deeper thinking and processing, leaving AI to handle the factual data, which it is very good at," Andersen said.

Carla Andersen, Associate Director of International Student Recruitment at Lane Community College, during an interview in Ho Chi Minh City, Oct. 3, 2024. Photo by VnExpress/Le Nguyen

Both institutions agree that while AI can be a valuable tool, caution is necessary in its application.

At Lane, professors currently develop their own approaches to AI, but the college is working on policies related to academic integrity and AI use in syllabi.

"If we aren't careful, it could exacerbate inequities in access to education between different groups, not only in the U.S., but even globally. So we don't want to do anything that would cause more inequity with access to education," said Andersen.

CMU is also taking steps to ensure ethical AI use, particularly in admissions. The university prohibits AI in application essays and has systems in place to detect AI use or plagiarism.

"We want students to show their own academic knowledge and their ability to vocalize their thoughts in words—not what a computer thinks their goals are," Danenberg said.

Andersen acknowledged that while AI is rapidly evolving, and this offers many benefits, it also presents challenges in its classroom application. "AI cannot replace human interaction, empathy, or the nuances of human professors engaging with students," she said.

"We don't want student learning to become automated or superficial."