AI will destroy universities [Sagar]

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AI will destroy universities

by Paul Sagar

Summary

The article argues that artificial intelligence, especially large language models (LLMs), could fundamentally disrupt universities by undermining the way students learn and how academic achievement is measured. Paul Sagar, a university professor, explains that AI-generated essays make traditional plagiarism detection almost useless, allowing students to submit machine-produced work as their own. However, he believes the deeper danger is not only cheating but the temptation to avoid the difficult process of reading, writing, and thinking independently — the very activities that develop intellectual ability. 

He argues that universities may need to return to more supervised exams and traditional assessments to preserve genuine learning. At the same time, he connects the AI problem to wider issues in higher education: universities increasingly operate like businesses, depend on student fees, and face financial pressures. If AI also reduces the value of university degrees in the job market, the entire higher education system could face a serious crisis.

ARTICLE