Employers Say Students Need AI Skills. What If Students Don’t Want Them?
Employers say the future of work requires artificial intelligence skills, but some college students say they don’t want to use generative AI tools. Professors and higher education experts weigh in on the value of AI skills in careers.
A May 2024 survey by Inside Higher Ed and Generation Lab asked students if they knew when, how or whether to use generative artificial intelligence to help with coursework. Student responses revealed the importance of faculty communication around generative AI policies in the classroom but also highlighted some learners’ disdain for using the technology in any capacity.
Among the 5,025-plus survey respondents, around 2 percent (n=93), provided free responses to the question on AI policy and use in the classroom. Over half (55) of those responses were flat-out refusal to engage with AI. A few said they don’t know how to use AI or are not familiar with the tool, which impacts their ability to apply appropriate use to coursework.
But as generative AI becomes more ingrained into the workplace and higher education, a growing number of professors and industry experts believe this will be something all students need, in their classes and in their lives beyond academia.
