This year, all first-year students learned about the ethics, benefits, and pitfalls of AI through a required first-year seminar course.
The current “common text” (common reading assignments for first graders) is AI snake oil: What artificial intelligence can and can’t do and how to tell the difference Written by Arvind Narayanan and Sayash Kapur. Kristin Dijkstra, director of the First Year Seminar, said the book grew out of the author’s own independent testing of AI products.
Dr. Narayanan came to campus as a guest speaker in the fall to discuss the book with students and faculty.
Princeton University’s Dr. Arvind Narayanan speaks about the benefits and pitfalls of AI at an event on September 11, 2025. (Photo by Sophie Burt ’26)
Dykstra said that when she reviewed the book for consideration, she realized that it gave her a perspective that she had not been able to get from the AI industry.
“This is a challenging book in many ways, but … it also provides examples from real life,” Dykstra said. The computer science professor told Dijkstra, “This book approaches this topic by teaching us something about how and why tools work.”
AI snake oil Distinguish between generative AI tools like ChatGPT and predictive AI applications, and encourage skepticism about AI miracle claims. It also challenges AI hype and helps students distinguish between effective and safe AI tools and ineffective or harmful “snake oil” applications.
Dykstra said the authors “have become known for taking a very even-handed approach to a subject that causes a lot of anxiety and confusion.” in AI snake oil, The authors counter that panic with a cautious perspective, she said. These encourage people to begin a gradual process of integration.
“Part of what they’re talking about is making sure that more people understand enough about these tools so that they can actually make the case for what’s working and what’s not working in their field,” Dijkstra said. “We can also demand more responsibility from the industry.”
Professor Christine Dijkstra, Director of First Year Seminar Programs at St. Michael’s University, introduces Dr. Arvind Narayanan at an event on September 11, 2025. (Photo by Sophie Burt ’26)
This balance is especially important given how rapidly AI is permeating everyday life. The goal is to ensure that AI helps society, rather than having a negative effect on it, Dykstra said.
“We need to demand that our products adapt more to what we’re actually trying to do, rather than changing the way we do things to fit some company’s product,” Dijkstra said. “The question here is that AI serves the common good, rather than all of us becoming servants of AI.”
Indiana University professor Russell Valentino, whose expertise includes using generative AI for translation, also came to campus as a guest speaker this spring to share his insights with first-year students and other students.
“If you want AI to do good for society, you have to work for it too. AI can’t just be done by a few people in the computing industry,” Dijkstra said. “People from all walks of life must feel increasingly empowered to step forward in search of what leads to the positive outcomes we truly desire.”
The ultimate message is one of empowerment, not fear.
“It’s about being smarter than your tools. It’s not about throwing away your tools,” Dykstra said. “How can we make AI serve the public good?”
This story was published as part of the Spring/Summer 2026 issue of St. Michael’s College Magazine.
