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The advent of generative AI has elicited waves of frustration and worry across academia for all the reasons one might expect: Early studies are showing that artificial intelligence tools can dilute critical thinking and undermine problem-solving skills. And there are many reports that students are using chatbots to cheat on assignments. But how do students feel about AI? And how is it affecting their relationships with peers, instructors and their coursework? I am part of a group of University of Pittsburgh researchers with a shared interest in AI and undergraduate education. While there is a growing body of research exploring how generative AI is affecting higher education, there is one group that we worry is underrepresented in this literature, yet perhaps uniquely qualified to talk about the issue: our students. Our team ran a series of focus groups with 95 students across our campuses in the spring of 2025 and found that whether students and faculty are actively using AI or not, it is having significant interpersonal, emotional effects on learning and trust in the classroom. While AI products such as ChatGPT, Gemini or Claude are, of course, affecting how students learn, their emergence is also changing their relationships with their professors and with one another. Its not going to judge you Most of our focus group participants had used AI in the academic settingwhen faced with a time crunch, when they perceive something to be busy work, or when they are stuck and worry that they cant complete a task on their own. We found that most students dont start a project using AI, but many are willing to turn to it at some point. Many students described positive experiences using AI to help them study or answer questions, or give them feedback on papers. Some even described using AI instead of a professor, tutor or teaching assistant. Others found a chatbot less intimidating than attending office hours where professors might be demeaning. In the words of one interviewee: With ChatGPT you can ask as many questions as you want and its not going to judge you. But by using it, you may be judged. While some were excited about using AI, many students voiced mild feelings of guilt or shame about their AI use due to environmental or ethical concerns, or just coming across as lazy. Some even expressed a feeling of helplessness, or a sense of inevitability regarding AI in their futures. Anxiety, distrust and avoidance While many students expressed a sense that faculty members are, as one participant put it, very anti-ChatGPT, they also lamented the fact that the rules around acceptable AI use were not sufficiently clear. As one urban planning major put it: I feel uncertain of what the expectations are, with her peer chiming in, Were not on the same page with students and teachers or even individually. No one really is. Students also described feelings of distrust and frustration toward peers they saw as overly reliant on AI. Some talked about asking classmates for help, only to find that they just used ChatGPT and hadnt learned the material. Others pointed to group projects, where AI use was described as a giant red flag that made them think less of their peers. These experiences feel unfair and uncomfortable for students. They can report their classmates for academic integrity violationsand enter yet another zone in which distrust mountsor they can try to work with them, sometimes with resentment. It ends up being more work for me, a political science major said, because its not only me doing my work by myself, its me double checking yours. Distrust was a marker that we observed of both student-to-teacher relationships and student-to-student relationships. Learners shared fears of being left behind if other students in their classes used chatbots to get better grades. This resulted in emotional distance and wariness among students. Indeed, our findings reflect other reports that indicate the mere possibility that a student might have used a generative AI tool is now undercutting trust across the classroom. Students are as anxious about baseless accusations of AI use as they are about being caught using it. Students described feeling anxious, confused and distrustful, and sometimes even avoiding peers or learning interactions. As educators, this worries us. We know that academic engagementa key marker of student successcomes not only from studying the course material, but also from positive engagement with classmates and instructors alike. AI is affecting relationships Indeed, research has shown that faculty-student relationships are an important indicator of student success. Peer-to-peer relationships are essential too. If students are sidestepping important mentoring relationships with professors or meaningful learning experiences with peers due to discomfort over ambiguous or shifting norms around the use of AI technology, institutions of higher education could imagine alternative pathways for connection. Residential campuses could double down on in-person courses and connections; faculty could be incentivized to encourage students to visit during office hours. Faculty-led research, mentoring and campus events where faculty and students mix in an informal fashion could also make a difference. We hope our research can also flip the script and disrupt tropes about students who use AI as cheaters. Instead, it tells a more complex story of students being thrust into a reality they didnt ask for, with few clear guidelines and little control. As generative AI continues to pervade everyday life, and institutions of higher education continue to search for solutions, our focus groups reflect the importance of listening to students and considering novel ways to help students feel more comfortable connecting with peers and faculty. Understanding these evolving interpersonal dynamics matters because how we relate to technology is increasingly affecting how we relate to one another. Given our experiences in dialogue with them, it is clear that students are more than ready to talk about this issue and its impact on their futures. Acknowledgment: Thank you to the full team from the University of Pittsburgh Oakland, Greensburg, Bradford and Johnstown campuses, including Annette Vee, Patrick Manning, Jessica FitzPatrick, Jessica Ghilani, Catherine Kula, Patty Wharton-Michael, Jialei Jiang, Sean DiLeonardi, Birney Young, Mark DiMauro, Jeff Aziz, and Gayle Rogers. Elise Silva is the director of policy research at the Institute for Cyber Law, Policy, and Security at the University of Pittsburgh. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Amina AlTai is an executive coach, leadership trainer, and chronic illness advocate. She has partnered with companies such as Google, Snap, Outdoor Voices, Chief, and Roku, and been featured in goop, Forbes, Well+Good, NBC, CBS, and The New York Times. She is an Entrepreneur Magazine expert-in-residence, Forbes contributor, and was named one of Success Magazine’s Women of Influence. Whats the big idea? The Ambition Trap gives you greater permission to reclaim ambition on your own terms. Most of us think ambition means doing everything in our power to get what we want, but this approach comes at the price of health, well-being, and upholds oppressive systems. Ambition itself is not a dirty wordwe can renegotiate unhealthy assumptions about ambition to engage with it in meaningful and restorative ways. To escape the trap of an endless cycle of overwork that is never enough, ambition must be anchored in our purpose rather than our pain. Below, Amina shares five key insights from her new book, The Ambition Trap: How to Stop Chasing and Start Living. Listen to the audio versionread by Amina herselfbelow, or in the Next Big Idea App. 1. We need to redefine ambition. Most of us only know ambition in a dysfunctional sense: a relentless desire to succeed, regardless of the cost. For me to win, someone else must lose, we think. But thats not ambition. Ambition itself is natural and neutral. In its purest form, its a desire for more life. Its a wish to unfold, evolve, and flourish. Grass wants to grow; trees like to stretch toward the sun; we all want to thrive. The essence of all living beings is to be motivated for more, and as humans, were the only species that has a choice in how we direct that advancement. So, we must be great stewards of it. Things go sideways when our striving begins to cost us and others health, relationships, peace of mind, and sense of self. This isnt ambition in its neutral, natural form, but in its most painful. 2. There are two types of ambition. Though ambition in and of itself is neutral and natural, there are two ways we usually see it unfold. It can either be painful ambition or purposeful ambition. Painful ambition is the voracious desire to advance, regardless of the costs. Painful ambition has a few trademarks: Unaware of the systems that shape us A narrow mindset Driven to win at all costs Focus on individualism and hoarding power Instrumentalization of yourself and others Toxic positivity Self-imposed urgency Most of us believe that embodying these characteristics means were being ambitious. But were actually displaying painful ambition. Painful ambition is driven by our core wounds. According to Lise Bourbeau, those wounds are rejection, abandonment, humiliation, betrayal, and injustice. For each wound we have, we wear a corresponding mask. A rejection wound wears the mask of avoidance. A betrayal wound wears the mask of control. Every one of us emerges from our formative years with an injury of the psyche. Its a human right or passage, even if you come from the best family in the world. When ambition is built upon that wound, its a house of cards. Painful ambition is driven by our core wounds. When we operate from a place of purposeful ambition, growth is no longer driven by a stinging wound. Instead, weve tapped into our intrinsic purpose and are living in a way that has a positive impact on ourselves and the world around us. Weve stopped trying to make life happen to compensate for our pain and instead are unfolding from a place of wholeness. Purposeful ambition has a few hallmarks: Questioning systems that shape us An expansive mindset Driven by purpose Focused on collaboration and using your gifts to help the world Honoring your needs Contentment-based Take aligned action Stepping into purposeful ambition might feel like meeting yourself for the first time. Many of us unknowingly construct our whole lives around our wounds; in fact, were often celebrated for them. If we didnt take a physical, emotional, or spiritual hit for it, we would likely keep hiding behind them. If I didnt have a health crisis early in my career, I may have kept going the way that I was: overworking from a place of not-enoughness. This hit is the universe inviting us into a new way of beingits a way of saying Stop. What youre doing isnt working anymore and likely never worked in the first place. This is the moment when we get to put the mask down and peel off the layers of protection. This is when we get to heal that inner child so we can build our lives from the fullness of our true selves versus living and leading from an aching wound. This right here is where circumstances change for the better. 3. Identity and ambition are deeply intertwined. Ambition doesnt exist in a vacuum. It is shaped and constrained by identity. For those from historically underrepresented communitieswomen, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, disabled folksambition is often a double bind. On the one hand, society expects you to prove yourself. On the other hand, the moment you express visible, unapologetic ambition, youre often punished for it. This is whats known as the ambition penalty: the social, economic, and reputational cost that underrepresented people often face for simply wanting more. A woman asking for a raise may be seen as aggressive. A person of color expressing a bold vision might be called intense or not a culture fit. A disabled entrepreneur with high aspirations may be met with patronizing doubt. These arent personality flawstheyre systemic dynamics that uphold power imbalances. This is whats known as the ambition penalty: the social, economic, and reputational cost that underrepresented people often face for simply wanting more. The Ambition Trap unpacks how these messages are internalized, leading many to either overperform to gain approval or suppress their ambition entirely to stay safe. Ultimately, reclaiming ambition is more than a personal actits a cultural intervention. When those most marginalized are empowered to define and pursue their ambitions on their own terms, the entire system begins to shift. 4. Its not about renouncing ambition, but allowing ambition to come from innate gifts. Many of us are taught to either chase ambition at all costs or reject it altogether, especially if weve felt its toll on health, relationships, or sense of self. I believe that for ambition to be nourishing, not punishing, it needs to center on our gifts. To work in a way that feels like a salve for the soul, expresses who weare, and makes the change we want to see in the world, we need to leverage the best of us. We all have a unique form of brilliance, a rare talent or ability that is specific to us and that we came to this planet to share. For some, its power skills like deep listening, empathy, and communication. For others, it might be a more tangible skill, such as playing the trombone or excelling in physics. I coach some of the most legendary humans, from Olympic gold medalists to game-changing founders and leaders. There comes a moment in almost every session when my client inevitably says, Im not a genius or gifted at anything. A lot of us are taught that genius is for a select few, but I believe thats a patriarchal myth that supports some people and aids in the oppression of others. When we bring our brilliance to the world, we can finally drop the hustle and grind and work with our natural flow. We all have a unique form of brilliance, a rare talent or ability that is specific to us and that we came to this planet to share. Another benefit of owning our gifts is that it takes us out of the scarcity mindset. When we believe that genius is reserved for the select few, we fight to compete and be seen. But when we realize we all have unique and exceptional abilities worth sharing, its clear that there is no competition. We are all in service to one another, and no one is above or below anyone else. 5. Ambition is cyclical. One of the challenges in the way weve come to be in relationship with ambition is that we believe it has a never-ending upward trajectorythat its more for mores sake, all the time. More money, more power, more achievements. This approach is expensive for ourselves and the planet. Ambition is about cultivation, pacing, replenishing, nurturing, resting, and growth. Ambition goes in cycles, like a perennial flower. It starts with a seedling of desire: I want to grow. We nurture and water that desire by nurturing ourselves. We pace our growth, and inch by inch we rise. We become as tall as we can in each moment, based on our inner and outer states. Our gifts come into full bloom, and we have a seasonal peak. Its glorious. And then the winds shift, and we feel we can grow no more. So, we pause, slow down, and go back underground to prepare ourselves for another season. The cycle repeats over and over again. One of the most important aspects of this reframing of ambition is that it isnt a solo sport. A race to the top alone is a race to the bottom. Ambition is not just about maximizing individual potential. We must work for and lean on each other if we want to live in healthier cultures. We must be riding the waves of cyclical ambition together. Encouraging each other to lean into seasons of growth and seasons of rest. This article originally appeared in Next Big Idea Club magazine and is reprinted with permission.
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Anyone who claims they havent felt the seductive pull of social plans interrupting their focus at work isnt being completely honest. Its something we all succumb to, especially in the summer months when nearly half of employees admit to feeling less productive at work. The lure of longer days, vacation plans, and social distractions can send managers into a spin about delivering at reduced capacity and facing a seasonal slowdown in outputs. But the summer holidaze isnt a threat to workplace performance. Its an opportunity. Tightening deadlines or demanding more in-office time might seem like solutions to keep teams in shape over summer. But they often backfire, fueling burnout, presenteeism, and resentment that lingers long after summer fades. Instead, smart managers use this time to rethink how work gets done. Leaders who embrace the summer rhythm, seek opportunities to innovate, and improve processes can unlock new ways to boost team morale and productivity. By shifting the focus from hours logged to outcomes delivered, leaders can create agile, resilient teamsand drive productivity well beyond August. Consider the following tool kit for turning the summer holidaze into a season of smart, sustainable success. What are you working with? Start with your most valuable resource: people. To manage effectively during the summer months, keep clear, accessible records of whos in and out of office. This allows you to set realistic expectations and plan accordingly when operating at reduced capacity. Pair this with a smooth handover process to ensure ongoing momentum, even when team members are away. Encouraging staff to spread their vacation time across the yearrather than clustering it in summercan help avoid bottlenecks. It also supports long-term well-being: research shows that workers who dont evenly space paid time off take an above average number of sick days in a typical year. By contrast, taking regular breaks leads to happier and more productive workers who are at lower risk of burnout. Understand your power tools Summer is an ideal time to rethink the tools that drive productivity. If you havent already, consider establishing a clear AI usage policy that guides employees on safe and responsible use of AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude. Large language models are great at streamlining repetitive tasks, freeing up your team to focus on higher-value strategic and creative work, which can be invaluable when operating with a skeleton team. But these tools are most effective when deployed consistently, confidently, and strategically. This is something a clear internal policy and robust AI training can support. Own the summer Lets face it: summer can be inherently disruptive. With people in and out on leave and children off school for the holidays, project timelines can slip and energy levels dip. Instead of resisting the seasonal rhythm, smart managers lean into flexibilityand still get great results. Companies like Pfizer, IBM, and Viacom are among the many companies offering staff summer hours, early-finish Fridays, or added autonomy over working hours during the summer months. These approaches dont just boost morale, theyve been shown to significantly improve overall well-being and employee experience. Balance increased flexibility with intentionality on work days. If youre running with a leaner team, get ruthless about your priorities. Decide what really needs to happen, communicate it clearly, and give your team the space and support to deliver. Effective planning beats reactive overwork every time and will enable you to do more with less. Soft-reset September No matter how old we get, September still carries that new school year energy. For working parents, it often marks the end of summer chaos and the return of routine. For everyone else, its a natural opportunity to reset. Use the summer as a low-stakes testing ground. Test out new ways of working with AI, pilot bold productivity strategies, trial half-day Fridays, explore streamlined workflows that cut out unnecessary admin. Then, come September, take stock. What worked? What didnt? What should stay? A thoughtful summer sets you up for a sharper, more focused fall. Turn it off and get outside At the heart of summer productivity is rest. All too often, employees dont get enough of it. Initiatives like summer hours are only effective if people truly disconnect. If staff are logging off at 3 p.m. but back online at 9 p.m., the benefits are lost. Thats why a formal “Right to Disconnect” policy matters. It encourages genuine rest, reinforces boundaries, and shows staff that their time off is respected. This only works when its modeled from the top. Leaders who visibly unplug over the summer give their teams permission to do the same. Ultimately, productivity and well-being arent at oddstheyre interdependent. A summer spent optimizing for both builds a team thats energized, resilient, rested, and ready to take on the months ahead.
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