AI for students: use it to learn, not to cheat

First: know your class's rules

There is no single rule for AI at school. Your school board, college or university may have a policy, and each teacher or professor can set different rules for each assignment — from "no AI at all" to "use it, but show how". When the rules aren't clear, ask before you start, and keep the answer in writing.

What's usually OK, and what usually isn't

Study prompts that actually work

The best learning prompts make the AI ask you questions instead of handing you answers. Copy these and fill in the blanks:

• **Socratic tutor:** "I'm studying [topic] for grade 11. Don't give me the answer. Ask me one question at a time to help me figure out [problem], and tell me if my reasoning is off."
• **Explain three ways:** "Explain [concept] three ways: like I'm 12, with an everyday analogy, and the way my textbook would."
• **Practice test:** "Make 10 multiple-choice questions on [chapter], mixing easy and hard. Wait for my answers, then explain the ones I got wrong."
• **Find my gaps:** "Here are my notes on [topic]. What important ideas are missing or wrong? Don't rewrite them."
• **Steelman the other side:** "I'm arguing that [thesis]. Give me the three strongest objections so I can answer them."

Keep the habit going with real material: [Today in 60 seconds](/today) on the day's AI news, then the daily [Broadsheet 5 quiz](/quiz).

Writing with AI without losing your voice

1. Do your own thinking first: a rough outline or a messy paragraph in your words.
2. Ask for feedback, not rewrites: "Where is my argument weakest? Which sentence is unclear?"
3. Make the changes yourself, so the final text is yours.
4. Keep your drafts and version history — they show your process if anyone asks.
5. Disclose AI help the way your teacher asks, for example: "I used Claude to get feedback on the structure of my second draft."

Citing AI

Style guides such as APA and MLA now have formats for citing AI tools. In general you name the tool and company, the date, and what you asked. But an AI is not a source of facts: cite the real articles and books where the facts come from, and check that they exist.

Research: check everything

AI is good at helping you understand a field and find search terms. It is unreliable as a source. Models [hallucinate](/glossary/hallucination) references — plausible titles, real-sounding authors, journals that exist — for papers that were never written.

• Find every source in your library's database or a search engine before you use it.
• Read the part you cite; don't trust an AI summary of it.
• Ask your librarian — they know which AI research tools your school supports.

AI detectors and false accusations

[AI detectors](/glossary/ai-detector) are unreliable, especially for students writing in their second language and for short or formal texts. Many institutions advise staff not to rely on them alone. If you're accused of using AI when you didn't:

1. Stay calm and ask what the concern is based on.
2. Show your process: notes, outlines, drafts, document version history, browser history of your sources.
3. Offer to explain your work or answer questions about it in person.
4. Ask for your school's academic integrity policy and appeal process, and bring a parent, advisor or student union representative if you can.

Privacy and age limits

• Check the minimum age: Claude.ai requires 18; ChatGPT requires 13 with a parent's permission under 18; school-provided tools may have their own rules.
• Use the tools your school provides when you can — they usually come with stronger privacy terms.
• Don't paste classmates' work, names or photos, or your own personal details.
• Read [How to use ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini safely](/guides/use-ai-assistants-safely) for the settings to change.

AI as an accessibility tool

For students with learning disabilities, ADHD, vision or hearing loss, or who are learning in a new language, AI can read text aloud, simplify dense readings, turn lectures into notes and help organise tasks. If AI is part of your accommodation, get it documented with your school's accessibility or student services office, so it's clear what you're allowed to use.

Skills that will matter

Employers increasingly expect graduates to use AI tools well — and to think for themselves. The skills that last are the ones AI can't do for you: judging what's true, explaining clearly, working with people, and knowing a subject well enough to spot when the AI is wrong. Our [Labs](/labs) list free courses, many in French, from beginner to builder; see also [AI and jobs in Canada](/guides/ai-and-jobs-in-canada).

For parents and teachers

• Set clear, assignment-level rules and explain the reason behind them.
• Design tasks that show process: drafts, oral check-ins, reflections on how AI was used.
• Don't rely on AI detectors as proof.
• For younger children, start with our [Young Lab](/labs/young) games and the [grown-ups' guide](/labs/young/grown-ups); for educators, the [Labs path for educators and parents](/labs/educators).