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Abu Dhabi, UAE, 3 December 2025 - By Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi academics and experts in Artificial Intelligence.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is now embedded in daily life, bringing enormous benefits across countless fields. Yet educators and parents face the urgent task of guiding young people in its ethical and responsible use. When used properly, AI can be a force for good; misused, it can hinder human cognition and weaken fundamental learning skills.  

Promoting AI literacy is essential. Teaching AI—and teaching through AI—is no longer optional. Its integration into learning is unavoidable, but it must not come at the expense of students’ intellectual development. Overreliance on AI can lead students to misuse the tool not out of intention to cheat, but because of its convenience and normalization.  

In an exam setting, students may potentially type a topic into ChatGPT and receive a ready-to-use response. Combined with digital devices: mobile phones, smartwatches or connected glasses, earpieces —real-time access to AI makes misuse increasingly tempting. For students who have become AI-dependent, turning to AI during an exam may even feel “normal”. 

Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi prides itself on providing a quality education that develops critical thinking, creativity and adaptability. Sorbonne sees itself as a pro-AI university, with more than 100 researchers, and established the Sorbonne Center for Artificial Intelligence (SCAI) in Paris and Abu Dhabi as early as 2019. Dr. Xavier Fresquet, Deputy Director at SCAI explains: “AI is an extraordinary discovery, but everything is a matter of balance. We cannot consider that humans should only play the role of proofreaders asking questions to a computer. Only humans are capable of critical thinking and reasoning, and this is the kind of Excellence that Sorbonne Abu Dhabi instills in its students.” 

Growing research further supports the need for balance. A recent MIT Media Lab study found that students relying solely on ChatGPT to complete and memorize assignments, showed reduced neural, linguistic, and behavioral competencies just four months later. Although the sample size was small, the results are significant. Other studies indicate declining attention spans and weakened critical thinking among younger generations.  

In a forward-looking country like the UAE—where AI investment is massive and a nationwide AI education plan is underway—leaders take this issue seriously. Dr. Xavier Fresquet notes: “AI is a tool students know well and use daily. The role of universities is to teach them how to use it properly. AI can give the answer, but students must learn the process that leads to the answer.” This is echoed by the Director of SCAI, Professor Gérard Biau, member of the French Academy of Sciences: “The challenge is not only to train new generations in the use of AI but also to stand firm on the fundamentals. Our ability to maintain a solid foundation of core knowledge in the long term is at stake. Sacrificing these basics would deprive future generations of the tools needed to understand, innovate, and advance knowledge.” 

The message is clear: what matters is the journey, not just the result. Using AI in daily studies is essential, as long as it does not replace a student’s ability to think, reason and analyze. Otherwise, it becomes a distorted relationship with knowledge and fails to prepare students for the jobs of tomorrow. As the World Economic Forum highlights, while technological literacy is rapidly rising in importance, non-tech skills such as leadership, analytical thinking, empathy, service orientation, and talent management remain essential to future success.  

Passing an exam is not about copying an AI-generated text; it’s about mobilizing knowledge, acquired throughout the year, and demonstrating reasoning during assessment. As an expert and researcher in AI, digital law and data protection, the Chancellor of Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, Professor Nathalie Martial-Braz, emphasizes this: “Artificial intelligence is set to play a crucial role in shaping the world and redefining the dynamics of international relations. While AI boosts efficiency, it only comes as an added value to human-centric skills. What would be negotiation without critical thinking? In Abu Dhabi, our universities are preparing the next generation of Emirati leaders—future policymakers, lawyers, economists, and scientists who will need to navigate a world driven by technology. Giving them the technical knowledge of AI is key to succeed but what appears most critical is to nurture their critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and ethical grounding that only human experience can provide. If AI helps youth reach new heights, only soft skills will give them a competitive edge.” AI may provide knowledge, but it cannot build human competence. 

Universities worldwide are struggling with the rapid rise of ChatGPT among students and this shift requires changes in teaching methods and assessment design. Cases of academic misconduct involving misuse of AI are increasing worldwide. Like many institutions, Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi has confronted this wave of change. Some AI-assisted cheating schemes are highly organized, diverting students’ time away from meaningful learning and development. These trends also raise concerns about Generation Z’s potential to misuse technology systematically.  

Imagine a student who leaves an exam claiming a medical emergency but first discreetly photographs the exam paper. This “holy grail” is then shared via WhatsApp, Airdrop, and Snapchat, reaching even those who did not seek it. Cheating has taken on a new dimension: with AI capable of generating real-time responses faster than a student can read them, students can discreetly add these answers to permitted documents or relay them through hidden earpieces. As Dr. Majed Al Khemeiri, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Administrative and Financial Affairs at Sorbonne Abu Dhabi reminds us: “The country has a zero-tolerance policy for academic cheating.” 

This rapidly evolving landscape requires swift institutional adaptation. Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi has implemented strong measures: a new AI Usage Policy, a mandatory course on the ethical use of AI introduced in September 2025, and redesigned exam rules. The University plans to phase out traditional open-book exams, change exam logistics, improve entry/exit controls, and launch a joint initiative within the University Presidents’ Consortium to develop a more effective anti-cheating tool. 

ChatGPT and AI are now deeply embedded in all our lives. The University’s commitment to guiding students in the ethical use of AI is unwavering, and its mission will be fulfilled when graduates understand that AI is most valuable as an assistant – and that it is only truly useful when their intellectual and cognitive capacities allow them to approach it with perspective and sound judgment. Before preparing students for a profession, universities must prepare their minds— because only those who know how to think will be able to adapt to the jobs of tomorrow. Sorbonne Abu Dhabi aims to train connected, augmented citizens—conscious and ethical ones.