Many people already have opinions about Gen-AI, and these opinions can sometimes conflict. A person might want to use it but feel uneasy about how it is created. They might see classmates using it and wonder if they are disadvantaging themselves by avoiding it, or gaining an unfair advantage by using it. They might think ethical concerns are exaggerated, or believe they are serious enough to avoid the technology, or change their view from day to day.
This guide will not resolve those tensions. The technology is too new, too connected to existing inequalities, and changing too quickly for simple answers.
However, the questions in this section do have answers—your answers, even if those answers change over time.
Gen-AI is part of a much larger system. It is not just a tool for learning or working—it is also connected to global industries, environmental concerns, and economic systems that often benefit large companies in wealthy countries.
Many Gen-AI tools are built using loopholes in copyright law, personal data from free users, and labour from underpaid or unprotected workers. These practices raise serious ethical questions about how Gen-AI is developed and who profits from it.
As a user, you should think carefully about how your use of Gen-AI fits into this bigger picture. Using Gen-AI without considering these issues can affect your learning, your values, and your impact on the world.
Skill Development
Using Gen-AI to do the work for you might mean missing out on learning important skills. If you rely on Gen-AI to write, solve problems, or analyse ideas, you may not get the chance to practise those skills yourself.
Ask yourself: Would using Gen-AI for this task stop me from learning or building a skill I need?
Environmental Impact
Gen-AI systems use large amounts of energy and resources to train and operate. This contributes to environmental damage, including large amounts of water usage, carbon emissions and electronic waste.
Ask yourself: Does the environmental impact of Gen-AI affect my decision to use it? Does it change how often I use it or what I use it for? Are some tools or tasks better or worse for the environment?
Labour Practices
Many Gen-AI systems are built and maintained by workers who may be underpaid, overworked, or exposed to harmful content without proper support. These workers are often located in countries with fewer protections, while profits go to large companies in wealthier nations.
Ask yourself: Does my need or interest in using Gen-AI outweigh the ethical concerns about how it was made? Do I understand the impact of using this tool? If I choose to use Gen-AI, how can I support fairer and more ethical development in the future?
Corporate and Social Responsibility
The companies that create Gen-AI tools have their own goals, values, and business practices. Some may use your data in ways you do not agree with, or profit from industries that do not align with your values or Curtin’s values.
Ask yourself: Do I agree with the goals and business practices of this company? Where do they get their training data? Which companies are building Gen-AI models? Which companies are using these models in their tools? Who profits from these tools? How else do these companies make money?
This technology is not likely to disappear. In fact, Stanford’s 2025 AI Index Report shows that AI is becoming a normal part of everyday life, with private investment reaching almost $34 billion (USD) in 2024. It is no surprise that Gen-AI is becoming more efficient, affordable, and accessible.
Because of this, it is important to understand how Gen-AI can be used in a meaningful way. Yet, being aware of the technology does not mean a person must use it. Someone may choose to object to using it after learning about it, but it is not wise to ignore it completely.
From an employability perspective, keeping knowledge and skills up to date matters. Understanding Gen-AI is increasingly expected in the workplace. However, there is a difference between simply knowing how to use Gen-AI to finish tasks and knowing how to use it strategically.
As a student, it is important to think about what skills an assessment is designed to help you practise. You need to recognise when you should build these skills yourself and when you have enough understanding to let Gen-AI complete a task that you then review. Regularly checking in with your unit coordinator about how you are using AI can help you work out whether your approach aligns with learning outcomes.
For example, imagine you are studying to become a computer programmer. You begin using Gen-AI to write code because many experts in the field use the latest Gen-AI models. You include this code in assessments and graduate successfully.
Later, you find a job and continue relying on Gen-AI to generate code. However, you struggle with the pace of work because it takes a long time to find bugs and improve the code. You realise that by not developing your coding skills during your studies, you now have to catch up in your career.
What went wrong? You used Gen-AI to generate initial code but rarely attempted to write solutions independently first. This meant you missed opportunities to develop problem-solving approaches and build intuition for code structure. The issue was not using Gen-AI itself, but using it in an unbalanced way without thinking ahead.
This example shows the importance of balancing skill development for your future. If you had spent equal time learning to write and edit code yourself, instead of relying entirely on Gen-AI for the writing, you might have faced fewer challenges later because you would have had a stronger understanding of the skill. It might feel inefficient to write code slowly when Gen-AI can do it instantly, but that is where you build the intuition that makes you faster later.
Beyond balancing current skill development, you should also consider how Gen-AI might reshape your field entirely. Gen-AI is already good at generating code like Python and JavaScript, which means writing code can be done much faster. What other skills might become important to fill this gap? Perhaps knowledge of user design or product management. This is why staying informed about trends in your field is valuable, even before starting your career.
The future with Gen-AI will look different, but with many people working to guide it in positive directions, the future can be bright.
Where do you currrently stand on Gen-AI use?
Many people already have opinions about Gen-AI, and these opinions can sometimes conflict. Before exploring the complexities further, consider where you are right now in your thinking.
Remember that you are not alone in trying to understand how this new technology has and will affect modern life. By staying informed and using Gen-AI with a critical mindset, you will be better equipped to address whatever comes.