Authors: Kesler Frost
Abstract: Over the past three years, the rapid adoption of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT has transformed the landscape of K12 and higher education. Public discourse has often framed this shift as evidence of student laziness, dishonesty, or moral decline. However, emerging research suggests that the widespread use of AI for academic tasks is not primarily areflection of student character, but rather a rational response to the structural pressures embedded within modern schooling. Students are turning to AI because the educational system itself hasbecome increasingly oriented toward performance metrics, efficiency, and quantifiable outcomes rather than deep learning, curiosity, or intellectual development. In a system where grades, test scores, and productivity are prioritized above understanding, AI becomes a logical tool for survival.
DOI: http://doi.org/
