AI is actually making writing harder for students.

AI is a powerful tool, and many students are tempted to use it instead of learning to read and write. This is regrettable for many reasons, of course: figuring out how to read and write helps the brain grow, and exploring language and ideas on your own can lead to a lifelong source of pleasure and enrichment. 

The most practical and immediate problem with AI is that educational institutions are responding by requiring students to do all writing under supervision in a classroom. In fact, a recent article in The New York Times reported a significant uptick in university orders for Blue Books, those light blue packets that teachers hand out for in-class essays.

Most people do not do their best writing under pressure of time and supervision; they cannot stare out the window and search for the best way to say something, take breaks, get some steps and fresh air, or let complex ideas develop over time.

Thus, AI is actually making writing harder for students, especially those who struggle and those with learning differences.

My schedule is full of students who no longer have take-home assignments! As a result, they have to more fully internalize/memorize the process of writing an essay. Close reading, idea generation, thesis articulation, evidence gathering, language analysis, MLA rules — all of these must become second nature so they can be accessed under pressure of time and supervision.