The Challenge of Generative AI in Writing Education
Faculty often ask how to detect or prevent students’ use of generative AI in writing assignments. The truth is, it’s becoming impossible to avoid. Generative AI is now integrated directly into familiar tools like Word (Copilot), Google Docs (Gemini), and Grammarly, making it as accessible as the chocolate stash calling at night.
One GrammarlyGO ad highlights this ease, promising writing that is “better and faster” with just “one download” and a “click of a button.” It assures users the AI understands their personal style and voice, framing its use as a form of self-improvement rather than cheating. This integration removes friction, making AI use almost effortless.
The Role of Friction in Writing
Reducing friction is a popular tactic in habit building—like sleeping in gym clothes to make morning workouts easier. Generative AI companies adopt the same approach, cutting down on time, distance, and effort to encourage use.
So what’s the response? Stop assigning writing? Switch to in-class timed tests? Or grade AI-produced work with AI-produced feedback? None of these are the answer. Writing is a mode of thinking that requires revision, and in-class tests remove the opportunity to practice that. They also disproportionately affect students with learning disabilities and English language learners.
Instead, apply the concept of “friction fixing”: make positive behaviors easier and negative ones harder. We can’t ban AI, but we can create barriers to its misuse while making writing assignments more engaging and accessible. This doesn’t mean making assignments easier, just smarter.
Strategies to Decrease Friction
Effective writing instruction already involves reducing obstacles. Motivation is rarely the issue; students often get stuck because starting or organizing their work feels overwhelming. Here are two practical ways to reduce friction:
- Break research projects into manageable steps. Use interim deadlines, conferences, and feedback on short pieces like project proposals. Feedback doesn’t have to be on full drafts but should guide progress.
- Provide time in class to start writing. Simply handing out an assignment and asking for questions often results in silence. Giving students time to begin writing allows them to ask questions early and gain confidence.
Assignments can unintentionally feel uninviting—dense blocks of text, complex vocabulary, or long lists of rules can signal to students that they don’t belong. Instead, imagine your assignment as an invitation to a party: welcoming, clear, and designed to encourage participation.
Designing Inviting Assignments
Design assignments with visual appeal and inviting language. Emphasize the purpose and value over formatting rules or grammar at the start. Frameworks like Transparency in Learning and Teaching help improve clarity and structure.
Encourage writing for real-world audiences and meaningful problems. Students engage more when they write about topics they care about, share their work beyond the classroom, and receive constructive feedback focused on strengths and actionable improvements.
Research shows that meaningful, inviting assignments motivate students to embrace the challenge of writing and revision.
Creating Friction with Generative AI
Writing is thinking made visible. To counter easy AI outsourcing, emphasize writing as a tool for discovery and insight. Low-stakes, reflective freewriting prompts can reinforce this by encouraging students to explore ideas without fear of perfection.
Building strong relationships with students also creates friction against misuse. Collect ungraded, in-class writings early, hold conferences, and provide supportive feedback. When students trust instructors and feel known, they are less likely to intentionally cheat.
Assignments that resist AI substitution include projects like zines, discussions, and presentations. AI can generate content but cannot deliver interactive, in-person presentations or facilitate group accountability. Incorporate interactive components to presentations to deepen engagement.
Group projects done partly in class promote accountability and reduce AI misuse. Demonstrate AI’s limitations by sharing examples and critiquing AI outputs together. This helps students develop critical thinking about AI’s accuracy and ethical concerns.
Students should also explore AI’s drawbacks, such as misinformation risks, privacy issues, environmental impact, and copyright concerns. Allowing them to research and present on these topics fosters informed decision-making about AI use.
Focusing solely on catching AI use or banning it misses the chance to teach critical thinking and can damage trust. Instead, create thoughtful friction that supports students in becoming skilled communicators and thoughtful users of technology.
For those interested in expanding skills relevant to AI and writing, resources and courses are available at Complete AI Training.
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