Ohio State University (OSU) has announced that starting in the Fall 2025 semester, all students will be required to use artificial intelligence (AI) in their classes. This initiative, termed "AI Fluency," will equip students with skills to apply AI in their respective fields of study, reported Futurism.
OSU’s Executive Vice-President and Provost, Ravi Bellamkonda, stated, "Through AI Fluency, Ohio State students will be 'bilingual' — fluent in both their major field of study and the application of AI in that area."
He added, "Grounded with a strong sense of responsibility and possibility, we will prepare Ohio State's students to harness the power of AI and to lead in shaping its future of their area of study."
Current use of AI in classrooms
Steven Brown, an associate professor in the Philosophy department, shared, "A student walked up to me after turning in the first batch of AI-assisted papers and thanked me for such a fun assignment."
He highlighted a creative example, noting, "My favourite one is still a paper on karma and the practice of returning shopping carts." Brown encourages flexible AI use, which he believes helps students understand nuanced perspectives.
Arguments against AI bans
Brown argued that prohibiting AI in education is "shortsighted," stating, "It would be a disaster for our students to have no idea how to effectively use one of the most powerful tools that humanity has ever created."
He further emphasised, "AI is such a powerful tool for self-education that we must rapidly adapt our pedagogy or be left in the dust."
OSU to equip its students
Starting Fall of 2025, OSU will introduce a mandatory AI skills seminar tailored to each academic discipline. For instance, education majors might use AI to develop lesson plans, evaluate them, and write reflections on their AI usage.
Despite the enthusiasm, concerns persist about AI’s reliability in education. Large language models often produce factual inaccuracies, lacking the specialised expertise of human educators.
Studies have linked AI use to declining grades, memory loss, and reduced critical thinking skills, raising questions about its long-term educational impact.
