University of Mary, Franciscan University of Steubenville, Benedictine College, and University of Dallas weigh in on AI-use in education.
As another academic year settles into routines, Catholic colleges around the country are tackling how to approach the rise of artificial intelligence and its impact on higher education. And while the universities each have their own unique response (like Wyoming Catholic's profiled here), colleges like University of Mary, Franciscan University of Steubenville, Benedictine College, and University of Dallas all believe that Catholic universities have an important role to play in the conversation about this new era of technology.
What education is for
When asked about AI in education, these Catholic academics emphasized that it is important to take a step back from the technology question and first reflect on the purpose of Catholic education.
Dr. Mariele Courtois, Assistant Professor of Theology and Director of the Center for Technology and Human Dignity at Benedictine College, says that “it is important to identify the purpose of authentic education from a Catholic perspective: to help students grow their capacities as human beings, respond to God’s callings for them, and seek flourishing in relationship with God, others, and the rest of creation.”
Dr. David Echelbarger, Vice President for Academic Affairs at University of Mary also emphasizes the importance of real relationships, “We have been made in the image and likeness of Christ, and we were made for union with Him. This means that the object of every one of our disciplines is ultimately a Person. It is logical, then, that we can come to an understanding of the truth in friendship and dialogue with other people.”
How does AI fit into an education?
Dr. Stephen Hildebrand, professor of theology and provost of Franciscan University of Steubenville thinks there is absolutely a place for AI in Catholic education. Not only, he says, so students can understand the technology, but also because he believes genuine good can be achieved with its use, if used wisely:
They need to know what is lost and what is gained when they use it, so as to minimize the loss and maximize the gain (and preserve the genuinely human). As many tools do, AI, when rightly used, can increase our power to do good; it can make us love better. If AI helps a radiologist better find cancer, for example, it has increased his ability to care for his patients. AI can be very destructive; but it can also help us to achieve great goods.
Dr. Courtois agrees that the subject of AI should be addressed in every field -
to help students learn their responsibility to defend human dignity, discern permissible applications of AI, build the skills needed for identifying misuses of technology, consider the impacts of emerging technologies on society, and clarify what an authentic human intellect is in contrast to the operations of AI.
She does not, however, think that AI should be used in education itself, calling an attempt to receive an authentic education in this way “self defeating.”
Using AI in place of a student’s own mind would be impoverishing their capacities, distracting their attention from moments of insight potentially pivotal for discovering vocation, or disrupt opportunities to appreciate the help and skills of another person. Using an AI chatbot to achieve in class can be dishonest, disruptive to the learning experience, or risk replacing significant points of encounter with others: such as peers, tutors, professors, or mentors.
In addition, Dr. Echelbarger reflects that the prominence of AI can impact the way students see truth itself.
For years, “relativism” was a major concern. But now, it seems our challenge comes from a vision of truth that strips it of its meaning and importance. To put it another way, students used to wonder if there was value in knowing “the truth.” Now, I think they wonder if there is any value in being a “knower” of the truth – a person who is capable of arriving at and articulating what is true, good, and beautiful, through cooperation with other persons as opposed to an impersonal (but increasingly accurate) generative text algorithm.
University of Dallas President Jonathan Sanford says in a recent video that,
The solution is not to reject AI altogether — as it can and will be used for any number of projects that will benefit us — but to revive the habits of mind and character cultivated by a serious education, and one that is all too rare in today’s marketplace of higher learning. outsource thinking to machines. In the age of AI, societies that flourish will be those that still know how to form leaders capable of saying, when necessary, "We must not." Wisdom, not computational processing power, will become the even scarcer resource that no machine can supply.
College’s practical responses to AI
While it is no surprise that there is a lot of thought, discussion and inquiry into the role of artificial intelligence in education and society, these colleges are also putting this thought into action.
Franciscan University says they’ve adjusted their academic honesty policy and encouraged faculty to “be creative with assessing student work.” For example, using more oral exams and more assignments in class.
The University of Mary has developed a policy that outlines different levels of AI that is permissible for different assignments. The policy ranges from “complete prohibition to unrestricted use” and each level includes, “A succinct description of what forms of AI use are permissible. An explanation, written in student‑facing language suitable for inclusion in syllabi and assignment guidelines. And a rationale, written for faculty to clarify the purpose and instructional intent behind each policy level.”
Benedictine College has approached the issue by amending its policy to say “that using AI “in place of a student’s own effort to learn” constitutes misconduct. At the same time, Courtois says, “The campus also engages in continuous discussions with students, faculty, and staff to learn about AI and grapple with its related ethical questions.”
An ongoing discussion
Each university clearly recognizes the presence of AI is not a “one and done” conversation and has determined they want to be part of this ongoing dialogue. Franciscan University has established an AI and Human Flourishing Chair. Benedictine says that The Center for Technology and Human Dignity is a place to a place which “answers the call of Pope Leo XIV to offer the insights of the Catholic tradition for navigating the AI revolution.” Dr. Echelbarger says that at the University of Mary to counter the isolation seen in today’s digital age, “many of our professors are incorporating into their courses activities that require hard and rigorous thinking together.”
These initiatives and others online, like Dr. Sanford’s Truth and Light series on AI, make one thing clear: Many Catholic universities are taking seriously the responsibility to engage in conversations on this now-pervasive technology and to take steps to ensure that higher education remains oriented towards the pursuit of truth and human flourishing.
Follow the Church's engagement with AI and other reflections here at Aleteia.
