A video of a junior college student expressing her frustration and calling out a professor, whom she claimed has a Ph.D in art, for grading her five-page essay using artificial intelligence, has started a debate on professors and students using AI. In the video that was posted to Reddit, the student said professors should not give lengthy essay assignments if they cannot themselves check and grade them.
The video that was posted in the r/TikTokCringe subreddit got 4.5K upvotes 1.2K comments on whether professors should use AI to check and grade their students' work. According to the student, the essay was about her visit to the High Museum of Art in Atlanta as part of her fine arts class. She also said that she loved literature and that she was good at it all throughout high school.
In the video, the student said she was so frustrated that she had wanted to email the department head to complain. 'If you don't have time to grade five-page essays from 600 students, don't assign the f***ing assignment,' she pointed out, also adding in disbelief how a professor with a PH.D. in art would need to rely on AI to assess assignments. She questioned what was she paying them for, mentioning that she paid $4,000 (£3,001.20) for a semester.
However, some of the Reddit users did not agree with her and dubbed the video as performative, 'Loving literature also have fuck all to do with writing college essays. It's absolutely unrelated and like you said just another brick in her persona she's created for her little performative video. She's insufferable.' Another commented, 'Performative dogwhistles to let people know "im a cool chick who swears and f**k white men".'
Professors and Students Are Both Turning to AI
The debate comes as generative AI tools become increasingly common in college classrooms. Students use them to brainstorm ideas, summarize research, improve writing and, in some cases, generate entire assignments. Professors, meanwhile, are using the technology to prepare course materials, develop assessments and provide feedback on student work.
A February 2026 report from the College Board, based on a survey of more than 3,000 US college faculty members, found that 74% said students were using AI to write essays or papers, while 67% reported that students used it to paraphrase or rewrite content. The survey also found that 77% of faculty members had used AI in their professional roles.
The findings highlight a growing contradiction in higher education. While many educators worry that students are relying too heavily on AI to complete coursework, some are also turning to the same technology to manage their own workloads. For students, the issue is not necessarily whether professors should use AI at all. It is whether the technology is being used as a helpful tool or as a substitute for the time, judgment and expertise expected from an instructor.
The Double Standard Over AI in Education
The growing use of AI by both students and professors has also raised questions about fairness and transparency. Students may face academic penalties for using AI in ways that violate their instructors' rules. Yet when professors use AI to evaluate their work, students may wonder whether the same standards of accountability apply.
The issue is not as simple as banning AI from the classroom. The technology can be useful when it supports teaching and learning, but its use needs clear boundaries. Students should know when AI is permitted in their coursework, just as they deserve transparency about how their assignments are evaluated.
Universities are already considering ways to strike that balance. Simon Fraser University, for example, advises instructors that AI may help improve grading and provide timely feedback, but instructors and teaching assistants should remain responsible for the final assessment rather than relying on AI alone.
For students, meaningful feedback is part of the value of an assignment. A professor's comments should explain what worked, what needs improvement and how a student can develop their ideas further. Generic feedback that does not engage with the substance of an essay can leave students questioning whether their work was properly read.
The student's angry reaction may have been blunt, but it points to a question colleges and universities will increasingly have to address: If students are expected to demonstrate their own knowledge and critical thinking, how much of the teaching and assessment process should be handed over to AI?
