MORE students are using artificial intelligence (AI) to support their learning, but awareness of its proper use is lacking.
This, Prof Abtar Kaur Darshan Singh asserted, is why it is vital to ensure all students and teachers are trained in the proper use of AI.
Citing a study her team conducted across the country between 2024 and 2025, the Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) Digital Learning Hub director noted that about 67% of the 800 university students surveyed said they were not sure whether their institutions even had an AI policy.
“So, the issue is not always misuse. In many cases, students simply do not know what the rules are or how universities expect them to use these tools,” she told StarEdu.
Prof Abtar, who is also the Unesco Chair in Harnessing Innovative Technologies to Enhance Quality Teaching and Learning, urged universities to refocus from policing to policy development as a first step.
At APU, she said, programmes have been introduced since 2023 to help students learn how to use AI responsibly and effectively.
“The idea is not to discourage students from using AI, because that would be unrealistic. The goal is to help them use these tools in ways that strengthen their cognitive ability rather than replace it,” she stressed, adding that guidelines should emphasise transparency and ethical use.
Rising trend
According to Prof Abtar, not only is there an increase in students using AI tools to support their studies, but there is also an upward trend in those who have used AI tools before entering university.
“This tells us that students are already arriving on campus with some familiarity with these technologies,” she said.
She also highlighted that how students use AI reflects how they have learnt to engage with technology more generally.
“Students who are more digitally aware tend to treat AI as a thinking partner. They ask questions, compare responses, refine prompts, and test their ideas against the system. Others may use it more superficially, which is why guidance from educators and parents is becoming increasingly important,” she said.
Human touch
AI, Prof Abtar affirmed, can be “very helpful” in providing quick explanations, examples, or alternative ways of understanding a concept.
She, however, noted that while this kind of immediate support can make learning more accessible for students studying outside of classroom hours, AI does not replace the teacher.
“We should never forget that education is still a very human process. The relationship between teacher and learner, the encouragement students receive, and the ability to recognise when someone needs help are aspects of learning that technology cannot easily replicate,” she said.
Motivation in education, she added, is rarely just about reminders or feedback.
“What often keeps students going is the knowledge that someone is paying attention to their progress. A teacher can challenge a student who is capable of more, encourage someone who is struggling, or simply ask the question, ‘Have you done the work?’
“That kind of human accountability plays a very powerful role in learning,” she said.
