The Paradox of AI in the Lives of Today’s College Students
For today’s college students, attitudes toward artificial intelligence (AI) can seem paradoxical. On one hand, they express clear dissatisfaction with the technology, as seen during a recent commencement speech by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt at the University of Arizona. During his address, he spoke about the inevitability of AI shaping the future, only to be met with hisses from the audience. “The question is not whether AI will shape the world. It will,” he said, pausing as students booed. “The question is whether you will have shaped artificial intelligence.”
Just days earlier, another notable figure, real estate executive Gloria Caulfield, addressed graduates at the University of Central Florida and described the rise of AI as “the next industrial revolution.” One student responded with a loud “AI sucks,” highlighting the growing tension between young graduates and AI.
However, this outward disdain does not tell the full story. The 2026 graduating class is also adopting AI rapidly. According to the Lumina Foundation-Gallup 2026 State of Higher Education study, 57% of U.S. college students use AI tools in their coursework weekly, while 20% use them daily. Some even resort to using these tools illicitly in the classroom.
Jacob Shelley, an associate professor of health law at Western University, noted that many students used AI to cheat on his final exam. He observed that 8% of his class received perfect scores on the multiple-choice section, while others struggled with essays or provided content not covered in class. This anomaly led him to believe that cheating was widespread.
At Princeton University, faculty recently voted to rescind its 133-year-old honor code and proctor all in-person exams to combat AI-related cheating. Stanford University senior Theo Baker wrote in a New York Times op-ed that “cheating has become omnipresent” at his college.
Gen Z’s AI Cognitive Dissonance
Experts see this contradiction as a glimpse into the minds of young graduates—the first generation to experience college with AI tools like ChatGPT at their fingertips. Maitraye Das, a computer science professor at Northeastern University, studies Gen Z’s attitudes toward AI use. Her research found that most college students use AI but often do not disclose it.
Das identified this phenomenon as a form of cognitive dissonance, where behaviors may contradict beliefs, leading individuals to adjust either their attitude or actions. Students fear that using AI might hinder their critical thinking skills and learning goals, yet they feel they cannot afford not to use it. The pressure to keep up with peers who are using AI is immense.
“The job market already seems precarious to them,” Das said. “Even if they acknowledge that using AI might stunt their critical thinking, they still use it because the cost of not using it feels higher.”
The Impact of AI on the Job Market
Concerns about AI replacing jobs have begun to materialize, despite no widespread evidence of significant changes in the labor market. Tech layoffs have topped 110,000 in the first five months of this year alone, with companies like Snap announcing the elimination of 16% of roles, approximately 1,000 employees, as they lean into AI.
Despite these fears, AI’s presence in both workplaces and schools has justified its use for students, even if it means cheating or keeping quiet about their AI use. “They are thinking, ‘People rather than me are using AI. Why am I held to a different standard?’” Das explained. “So instead of disclosing their AI use or limiting it, they reframe the social context to make their behavior around secretly using AI feel more acceptable to themselves.”
How Society Shaped Gen Z’s AI Struggles
Widespread messaging about AI in commencement speeches—often from AI stakeholders—has increased Gen Z’s skepticism. Skyrocketing tech stock valuations and the growth of the Magnificent 7 have created a K-shaped outcome, benefiting certain groups more than others.
Students feel that there is a corporate mouthpiece narrative, according to Das. They face real fears of not landing a job, and when tech CEOs encourage AI, students feel a disconnect. Shelley, the health law professor, believes that students cheating with AI is less of an endorsement of the technology and more of a survival tactic.
“This is less about endorsing AI and more about surviving,” Shelley said. “They know AI is going to replace them, and we’re pretending it won’t.”
The Role of Educational Institutions
Shelley argued that some blame lies with educational institutions, which have encouraged students to use AI. Arizona State University launched a collaboration with OpenAI to develop AI tools for higher education two years ago. However, financial aid for colleges is lower now than it was 15 years ago, forcing some students to take part-time jobs. Now strapped for time, they feel AI is the only way to accomplish their assignments.
Das noted that AI authorities, including higher education institutions, have failed to identify what jobs will be created due to AI and encourage appropriate upskilling. The overall effect is students feeling disenfranchised from their future, resorting to shortcuts that may not prepare them with the tools or values to thrive in the world.
“It’s our job to teach them, to nurture them, to inspire them, to guide them,” Shelley said. “It’s our responsibility as society to take a deep look and go, ‘Why has this happened?’”
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