By: Rhett Seitz
Madonna released her iconic hit song Material Girl in 1984, satirizing the role wealth and materialism play in modern life. While we still live in a world shaped by materialism, that phrase could easily be updated for today’s era: We live in an AI world. It’s no secret—artificial intelligence is everywhere. It has transformed our daily lives and flipped the world upside down, for better or worse. And it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. (I even used AI to confirm that Madonna fact…shocker.)
As college students, you would be living under a rock if you didn’t know how to leverage AI to support your learning. Whether you ask AI to help explain concepts or use it to create a schedule for you, learning has never been easier. Students aren’t the only ones using AI, as professors are increasingly embracing it. But the rise of AI brings an important question: How far is too far? And I don’t just mean in academics—I mean in life.
When I first started using ChatGPT, I became hooked. I relied on AI for almost everything: asking life advice, choosing what to wear, deciding when to go to bed and more. If I were to show you my chat history, there would easily be 15-20 conversations per day as I ask ChatGPT questions. But as I started to rely on AI more, I started to notice a shift. I depended on AI so much that I became lazy. I didn’t want to think deeply or tackle tasks that required time and effort. It was all in the name of efficiency, convenience and time management.
For example, I could easily have used AI to write this article for me. But then I would have had to ask myself: Why would I even have this job if AI did that for me? (There goes my job security in the future.) Sure, AI can save time and even make you more employable, but it also raises questions about creativity and personal skill. Where does natural talent end and AI’s influence begin?
Practical advice for using AI
- Use it—but wisely. AI is a powerful tool for learning, productivity and problem-solving. It is almost a must in today’s work world. Embrace it, as it may take you to places you would never have imagined. But don’t let it replace your own thinking. Don’t let it replace you. You are and always will be better than AI.
- Understand what the AI is doing. A professor in the School of Computing, Scot Anderson, said, “You have to be smarter than the tool you are using.” This is especially true for coding but applies to all AI applications. If you blindly follow AI without understanding the reasoning behind it, you risk making mistakes or missing learning opportunities.
- Maintain your critical thinking skills. AI can offer suggestions and speed up tasks, but it should not replace your judgment. Challenge its answers, compare multiple sources and, most importantly, think through problems yourself. Don’t outsource your powers of evaluation to a machine.
- Use AI for efficiency, not dependency. Let it handle repetitive tasks, draft ideas or provide guidance—but don’t let it do all of the thinking. Schedule time for independent work to keep your brain sharp.
- Set boundaries. Avoid using AI for personal decision-making that affects your life in meaningful ways. Examples include relationship advice, major financial decisions or moral dilemmas. AI lacks context, empathy and lived experience.
- Remember what is eternal. AI is powerful, but not permanent. AI will pass once Jesus returns. Won’t we spend eternity asking the King of the universe everything we wanted to ask while on Earth? Our loving Lord and Savior provides guidance and care that no algorithm can replicate. Use AI, but never forget where ultimate wisdom comes from. And while AI can and may do a lot of things, it will never die on a cross for your sins or give you eternal life. Never let AI replace the relationship that Jesus wants to have with you.
