The widespread use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) by students is forcing educators to rethink the way they teach and assess. Meanwhile, education leaders are grappling with how AI can support learning while preserving human judgment, academic integrity, and interpersonal connections.
These issues were central Learning with AI: Opportunities and ethical challenges in educationa panel at Ontario Institute of Technology’s recent AI Forum. The discussion, moderated by Space Canada CEO Brian Gallant, looked at how the education system is adapting to AI and where more clarity, transparency and accountability is needed.
What does ethical AI in education mean?
“I think about ethical AI in terms of core human values,” says Dr. Qusai Mahmood, professor and assistant dean of engineering outreach at Ontario Tech University. “In academia, that includes transparency, fairness, accountability, and responsibility.”
For Dr. Amanda Cooper, dean of the Fraser School of Education at Ontario Tech University, ethics starts with being open about the use of AI. “In many professional settings, we currently hide the use of AI in all aspects,” she said, underscoring the need for greater transparency.
Sheri Williams, Managing Director of Accenture Industry “We believe that ethical AI is ‘human-led’ and AI-supported,” she explained.
Jennifer Flanagan, CEO of Actua, directly connected ethics to student impact, highlighting the importance of using AI to deepen learning while protecting well-being and equity.
How will AI fundamentally change how students learn and teachers teach?
“Before AI, students would go out and collect information. They would find it, store it, and give it back to us on tests,” Flanagan said. “Since AI, learning has shifted to thinking critically about whether the answers given are correct.”
Flanagan acknowledged concerns that as AI is introduced into classrooms, students’ critical thinking skills will decline and teachers’ stress will increase. She also highlighted the potential of technology to support learners who require additional support.
“Personalized learning opportunities are very real, especially for students who struggle with complex concepts or who need to learn at their own pace,” she said.
What opportunities and challenges does AI bring to personalized learning?
Dr. Cooper said AI opens the door to new approaches to guiding and pacing student learning, noting that AI tools can alert to problems at a speed that could significantly change the way educators intervene when students begin to struggle. This could allow for earlier and more targeted support. “Everyone no longer needs to stay on the same subject for the same amount of time,” she says.
However, Dr. Cooper said the reliability of AI tool feedback varies by field, and emphasized the need for careful judgment in how and when to use AI to support tutoring.
Dr. Mahmood spoke about the potential of AI in large classes, where personalization has long been a challenge. He warned that issues such as student data privacy, fairness and accountability still need to be addressed.
How education systems can prepare students for AI‑Effective world?
Williams pointed to the industry’s ability to scale AI training quickly. She encouraged the education system to take advantage of this initiative, adding that the organizations were keen to collaborate.
She also suggested reframing AI as a tool rather than a threat, and emphasized the importance of teaching students from elementary school on how human judgment fits into AI-assisted tasks. “Make sure they understand that they are responsible for their outcomes, not the AI.”
How should educators think about academic integrity in an AI-powered world?
Challenging the assumption that academic integrity should be at the center of the conversation, Dr. Cooper said, “The real question is: what kind of assessment actually fosters learning?”
Traditional assessments need to change to reflect the reality that students will use AI. “If I ask you to write an essay, Lord of the Flies“AI will quickly solve that,” she said. “But when you’re using authentic assessments that deal with real-world problems and need to use the course content delivered in class, as well as students’ own experiences and other sources, it’s actually very difficult for AI to triangulate that. This moment is forcing us to rethink assessment, and it’s been going on for a long time.”
How can we ensure that AI enhances, rather than replaces, human connections?
Strengthening human connections requires changing the way educators approach their roles in the classroom. “It’s no longer about showing up at a venue and delivering content,” says Dr. Mahmoud. “The key is to design meaningful learning experiences,” he said, adding that students should explore ideas while using AI to make their own decisions.
Flanagan shared an example of how a 12th grade English teacher used AI to design collaborative learning. hamlet evaluation. “The students are writing a script together and performing it, and each student has a role that they have to embody,” she said. “It’s about AI being used to facilitate human connection.”
What misconceptions persist about AI in education?
“One of the biggest misconceptions that educators have is that AI will replace educators,” says Dr. Cooper. “No one can replace the human understanding and connection you have with students at the K-12 or higher education level. Relationships matter. Humans need to remain at the center.”
“Some people think the biggest risk is academic integrity,” Dr. Mahmood added, pointing to a related misconception that AI detection tools can reliably and fairly crack down on cheating. “Academic judgment should not be outsourced to AI detection tools, which can lead to false accusations.”
From an industry perspective, Williams said the treatment of AI in the classroom is often out of sync with the reality students face after graduation. “AI is not cheating,” she said, noting that in many workplaces people are expected to use AI from day one. She said that while critical thinking remains essential, assessments need to change to reflect that reality.
Panelists also warned that students themselves could be overconfident in AI’s capabilities. “Many students believe that AI can replace thinking,” Dr. Mahmoud said. “AI is more of an amplifier. If students ask shallow questions, they will get shallow answers.”
What messages should educators understand about AI?
“Accept it,” Dr. Cooper said. “Let’s innovate. Let’s fail. We’re not going to make AI disappear through ‘policy.'”
Mr. Flanagan called for leadership to incorporate national strategies into the federal AI approach to advance AI literacy.
“Bring the outside in,” Williams said, adding that integrating outside perspectives supports the development of critical thinking skills. “Real-world problems are nasty and complex, but that’s what people have to solve when they enter the workforce.”
