Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping our world, and Saint Anselm College is no exception. From academics to student engagement and administrative functions, the influence of AI is felt in nearly every aspect of campus life. As a liberal arts institution, which emphasizes critical thinking and ethical reasoning, the Hilltop offers us a unique perspective on both the benefits—and challenges—posed by AI’s introduction.
Thirty years ago, when my father attended Saint A’s, the Hilltop looked quite different. JOA Quad was a parking lot, the LLC was a distant concept, and students carried heavy backpacks filled with textbooks, printed assignments, and handwritten notes. Research meant hours in Geisel Library, combing through books and praying the right source was available. Other times, essay-writing required a trip to the now-demolished Poisson Hall, hoping to find an open computer. Understanding complex subjects meant physically signing up for tutoring in the ARC’s thick, yellowed logbook, hoping to secure a spot.
Today, the learning landscape at Saint Anselm has dramatically transformed: students carry lightweight laptops and iPads, accessing thousands of pages with a few clicks; AI-driven tools like Grammarly and ChatGPT offer writing assistance, their rise raising concerns about academic honesty that other AI tools, like TurnItIn, aim to address; and the classroom has expanded beyond physical walls, extending into a digital landscape shaped by technology. With AI-driven tools revolutionizing research, writing, and revision, students no longer pore over papers and projects with a highlighter in hand, as AI-powered assistants autonomously analyze grammar, style, and structure. While these tools refine work, their growing use raises an important question: when does assistive technology become problematic? At what point does AI cross the line between constructive advice and unauthorized co-authorship?
Professors at Saint Anselm are not just keeping up with AI but striving to stay ahead. Syllabi and coursework have been revised to reflect this evolving reality, placing a greater burden on students to document their research processes. Some professors integrate AI literacy into their courses, challenging students to test their devices’ ability to sort through mountains of digital data. Others ban AI outright, with mixed results. These efforts, well-meaning as they are, reflect the complexity of our situation: the very tool intended to enhance learning may, in some cases, hinder it. Students and faculty alike must spend more time navigating the fine line between responsible use of technology and irresponsible misuse rather than devoting that time to deepening their understanding of the concepts or engaging with the material. Our focus is shifting from intellectual growth to the issue of intellectual dishonesty, resulting in increasing tension between innovation and academic integrity.
Beyond academics, artificial intelligence further heightens the growing risk of cybersecurity breaches. AI-driven tools often require users—including Saint Anselm students and faculty—to input personal data, whether intentionally or unknowingly. This data, ranging from academic work to birthdates and financial information, is then subject to potential misuse by the internet provider or other third party. Early last year, a Chinese government espionage unit accessed
over one thousand devices, with approximately half located in the United States and dozens of the devices linked to United States universities. Similarly, in late December 2024, PowerSchool—a service primarily used by K-12 institutions—was the subject of a massive data breach linked to a single compromised credential. Often, such compromises occur due to phishing, which is the practice of using deceptive means to gain personal information with the intent to misuse the provided data. As AI seamlessly integrates into daily life, we must ask—are we becoming too complacent in our digital habits?
Students and faculty alike may be unknowingly exposing themselves to cyber threats and today, as artificial intelligence advances, such threats are becoming increasingly sophisticated, making it more difficult to distinguish between legitimate messages and their less-than-legitimate counterparts. The alarmingly convincing modern phishing attacks are almost unrecognizable from their poorly worded predecessors, employing AI-generated content to accurately imitate official communications. A student or faculty member, their information sold without their knowledge to a person or group with malicious intent, might not think twice before clicking a link from Campus Ministries or CAB, only to discover their account has been compromised (if the hack is even detectable).
The College must continue refining its policies on AI, defining clear boundaries between responsible use and overreliance. AI should serve as a tool to support learning, not a substitute for critical thinking and genuine effort. Likewise, cybersecurity measures must evolve in step with AI advancements, requiring ongoing investment in training and infrastructure to mitigate the risks of data breaches. Artificial intelligence is not the enemy; it is a powerful instrument that, when used responsibly, enhances learning, streamlines research and grading, and improves campus operations. However, all of us on the Hilltop—from administrators to students—must ensure that AI is used ethically, transparently, and securely.
Thirty years from now, students like us will marvel at how we approach education today, just as we find it hard to conceive of our parents’ college experiences without laptops and digital access. Artificial intelligence has only just begun to integrate into our daily lives and perhaps, not long from now, a world without it will be unimaginable. While we cannot predict every aspect of the future, one thing is certain: the core values of Saint Anselm College—lifelong pursuit of truth; moral, spiritual, and intellectual growth; and active engagement with the world around us—must, and will, endure. As artificial intelligence continues to reshape learning it is our responsibility, as Anselmians, to utilize it to enhance, rather than replace, the deeply human elements of education.