When humans learn, it changes the shape and functioning of their brains.

For example, neural pathways are created as a student learns about, and then demonstrates their understanding of, a rhetorical situation. Those neural pathways form as student do the work that will earn points on their English assignment, and they continue to serve that student when encountering writing for their rest of their life, facilitating critical thinking in personal, professional, and political situations.

However, if a student chooses to generates an assignment using an AI-tool rather than do the work of learning and developing their skills, those neural connections are not formed in their brain. That individual, their future work, and their society will not benefit from this decision, even if they pass their course.

When students are learning core skills and concepts in a discipline, it is vital that their brains are doing the work of creating neural networks. Without internalized core knowledge, students cannot use AI-tools knowledgeably and well.

AI-tools hallucinate and generate misinformation, and if a student lack the mastery of a topic to determine when that has happened, they are hindered rather than helped by AI.