Writing vs AI: If you wouldn’t ask an AI to eat a delicious pizza for you, why would you ask it to write a college essay?

Cory Doctorow explores the tension between AI-generated content and the value of human-driven learning, examining the pressures students face to prioritize grades over intellectual exploration and the role of mentorship in fostering a genuine love of writing. The piece details Doctorow’s experiences as an AD White Visiting Professor at Cornell, highlighting the challenges of teaching in a climate of financial anxiety and the importance of fostering critical thinking.