Will Generative AI Enhance or Stunt College Learning?

AI is transforming college classrooms, but is it helping students learn or doing the thinking for them? Critics warn that AI can enable cheating, weaken critical thinking, and encourage students to outsource their intellectual work. Others argue it offers personalized tutoring, improves learning and study habits, and prepares students for an AI-driven workforce. As universities grapple with the technology’s growing presence, we debate: Will Generative AI Enhance or Stunt College Learning? Arguing "Enhance": Ravi Pendse, Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer at the University of Michigan Edward Maloney, Professor of the Practice and Executive Director of the Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship at Georgetown University * Arguing "Stunt": Cathy O'Neil, Mathematician and Data Scientist Gary Marcus, Leading Voice on AI and Professor Emeritus at NYU; Author of "Marcus on AI" Substack Emmy award-winning journalist John Donvan moderates Presented as part of The Hopkins Forum series, this debate was produced in partnership with the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University and recorded live in Baltimore on October 27, 2026. After you’ve listened to the debate, let us know where you stand on the motion! VOTE HERE: ⁠https://bit.ly/OTDVOTE Vote before Thursday, November 19 at 5 pm ET. Results will be announced in our Substack newsletter so make sure to subscribe. Enjoyed this episode? Follow Open to Debate on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to hear new episodes every week. Join the conversation on Substack—share your perspective on this episode and subscribe to our weekly newsletter for curated insights from our debaters, moderators, and staff. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more debates, highlights, and perspectives. Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, X, Facebook, and TikTok to stay connected with our mission and ongoing live debates. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices