Using AI Wisely
AI tools are not equipped to offer appropriate support for physical and mental health issues.
Generative AI tools and chatbots can sometimes feel conversational and supportive, but they are not a form of counselling, therapy, or professional advice. They do not understand your personal circumstances, emotional context, or risk, and they cannot recognise when someone may need urgent help. Their responses are generated from patterns in data rather than individual care needs, responsibility, or clinical judgement.
Because of this, AI tools may:
- be unable to recognise the level of distress or the emotional situation
- give inappropriate advice
- provide inaccurate information about mental or physical health and inappropriate and non-clinical diagnoses
- unintentionally reinforce unhelpful or harmful thoughts during periods of distress.
If you are struggling, it is important to speak to a real person rather than relying on an AI tool.
The University provides a wide-range of specialist support through Student Support and Wellbeing services, including advice, counselling, and wellbeing resources. You can click the tabs below to read more about these services and find links to their pages. You can also seek support from the NHS and external services.
AI can be useful supporting you in your studies, but it should never replace human support when your health or safety may be affected. No problem is ever too small to be discussed with a professional.
Wellbeing support
If you are seeking urgent support now, please click here for guidance from Student Support & Wellbeing about available services.
The University's Student Support & Wellbeing team offers a wide-range of support for you including dedicated mental health advisors, and support with disability, autism and specific learning differences (including ADHD and dyslexia), and any accessibility issues. You can click here to read more about their services and to be in touch with them.
This page provides a detailed account of their services including details of support that is available for you 24/7.
You can also contact the Engagement Support team who can provide and initial support with issues or personal circumstances that are impacting your studies. You can read more about their services by clicking here.
The Student Support and Wellbeing also have a team of specialist staff providing practical support and advice to students who have experienced sexual violence, stalking, hate incidents, discrimination, physical harm and or verbal abuse, domestic abuse, spiking, and harassment. You can read more about their services by clicking here.
Protecting your learning
University is about developing skills like critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving. If you use AI inappropriately and/or rely too much on it, you lose the chance to develop these skills for yourself and may even become less skilled.
Whilst future employers may (or may not) expect you to use AI in your work, being unable to use AI tools appropriately (including choosing when not to use them) may result in serious consequences for your career, your prospects, and for others.
Risks
Relying on AI for critical thinking
Reliance on AI means you stop asking, “Do I really get this?”. True learning happens when you challenge and test your understanding.
Losing Your Critical Edge
When used well, AI can boost your critical thinking, but improper use can bypass it. Appropriate use always develops the reasoning skills needed to interpret and evaluate ideas for yourself.
Impacting your employability
Employers value graduates who can effectively harness AI while maintaining control, identifying mistakes, thinking critically, and making informed decisions.
Why you can't place all your trust in AI
Generative AI sounds confident when it responds, but this doesn't mean it is correct. It predicts patterns in data, which means:
- AI can make mistakes and create fake references.
- AI reflects biases in its training data, which can lead to stereotypes.
- AI lacks real-world judgment, its answers can sound right but be wrong.
- AI is designed to "understand" you and provide you with an answer even if your prompt does not make sense.
If you include errors or bias from AI in your work, you are responsible for them.
Click the button below to explore our guidance on responsible use of AI tools in your studies.
Limiting use
You should also be mindful about the quantity and quality of your AI use. Whilst interacting with AI chatbots is not the same as interacting with a human, it is critical to be careful about what we use AI tools for.
Take regular breaks
As with other online activities like social media or gaming, AI chatbots should only be used in moderation.
Challenge outputs offline
AI tools are not infallible. Consider challenging their outputs away from the screen in books or with other people.
Seek support if needed
Generative AI tools are not a replacement for physical or mental health support. Speak to the Student Support & Wellbeing team if you are struggling and they will be happy to help.
Ensure you are interacting with others
University is a great place to meet other people, whatever your interests. Make sure you stay socially connected.
For further support
You can speak to our Student Support & Wellbeing team. You can click the button below to read more about their services and to book an appointment.
