Responsible AI in Higher Education: Building Skills, Trust, and Integrity

By Alex Shevchenko, Co-Founder, Grammarly

AI is reshaping how students write, learn, and prepare for life after graduation. For higher education leaders, the challenge is clear: How do we integrate AI into the student experience in ways that build skills, uphold academic integrity, and prepare graduates for the workforce?

Many institutions are moving from policing AI use to partnering with students. This transition emphasizes trust, transparency, and ongoing skill development, mirroring the realities of modern careers where AI is ubiquitous. It also highlights the crucial role of faculty in guiding responsible and meaningful AI use.

One practical example of this approach is Grammarly for Education. Seamlessly integrating with learning management systems and writing platforms, it supports students through brainstorming, research, drafting, and revision. In doing so, the conversation has matured beyond simply detecting AI use; educators and students are now exploring how AI can deepen learning, sharpen critical thinking, and inspire creativity.

Enhancing skills and inspiring trust

AI should strengthen—not replace—foundational academic processes. When used responsibly, it empowers students by providing personalized, constructive feedback on clarity, tone, and the organization of assignments—while still centering their ownership and creativity. By keeping students’ ideas at the heart of digital workflows, AI fosters a culture that values both innovation and integrity, providing learners with the tools to grow into more confident, independent writers.

Equally important is building trust. Detection alone can create a climate of suspicion, but transparency fosters collaboration and accountability. That’s why we built Grammarly Authorship as a student-first tool—designed to help students and teachers alike. Authorship sits in front of students and guides their decision-making, helping them become more responsible and intentional writers. Authorship was never designed to catch students; it was designed to empower them to own their work and grow through the process.

The result: students who feel supported, not surveilled; submissions that are stronger and more authentic; and faculty who can focus on teaching higher-order skills instead of correcting surface-level errors.

Ensuring responsible AI access for all

A commitment to responsible AI adoption includes guaranteeing access for all students, regardless of their financial means, major, or prior experience. When institutions implement cohesive and thoughtful deployment strategies, they not only level the playing field but also align AI engagement with the institutional values and goals.

In support of this mission, Grammarly is launching a new generation of AI tools designed specifically for students. These offerings aim to ease the writing process without compromising integrity. At the center is docs, an AI-native writing surface that offers specialized agents for brainstorming, research, real-time proofreading, audience reaction insights, plagiarism checks, and AI detection. All these tools work together to preserve a student’s authentic voice. By using these tools, students can approach assignments with greater confidence, clarity, and academic authenticity—without shortcuts.

Looking ahead: Preparing graduates for an AI-connected world

Today’s workforce treats AI as routinely as email or word processing. Preparing students for this reality means equipping them to use AI as an ethical, effective, and empowering partner in their learning. By focusing on skill development, trust-building, and accessibility, higher education can ensure AI strengthens the academic experience and prepares graduates with the skills, integrity, and confidence they need to thrive in an AI-connected world.

AI in Action: 5 questions with Tanya Milberg, Manager, Education 4.0 and Education Initiatives at the World Economic Forum

Tanya Milberg leads the Education 4.0 initiative and the Education Industry work at the World Economic Forum.

1. What does the responsible use of AI look like for learners experimenting with generative tools? Responsible use isn’t about limiting creativity—it’s about ethics, reflection, and agency. Learners should be transparent about AI’s role in their work while taking ownership through revision and critical engagement. They must also recognize biases and limitations in AI outputs, questioning whose voices are represented or excluded.Used thoughtfully, generative AI enhances brainstorming, visualization, and experimentation, helping students become more creative, curious, and confident—not just more efficient.
2. What distinguishes AI literacy from traditional digital literacy, and why does that distinction matter in education? Digital literacy is about using tools safely and effectively. AI literacy goes further: understanding how AI systems work, their risks, and their influence on decision-making. This distinction matters because AI literacy empowers students to move from passive users to active shapers of technology. It prepares them to question bias, demand transparency, and engage in ethical innovation. As the Forum’s Shaping the Future of Learning report emphasizes, education systems must embed AI literacy—distinct from digital literacy—to prepare learners for an AI-driven world.
3. How can we build AI literacy in a way that supports, not replaces, core human skills like empathy, communication, and judgment? AI literacy should be human-centered. Embedding it in real-world contexts—like healthcare or climate—encourages students to weigh trade-offs, consider diverse perspectives, and practice ethical reasoning. AI can also be used in role-play or scenario-based learning to build empathy and reflection, but must be balanced with human-only discussions and collaboration. Done right, AI literacy sharpens—not diminishes—skills like judgment, empathy, and communication.
4. How should we rethink the goals of education in an AI-powered world? Education should prepare learners to thrive alongside AI, not compete with it. This means shifting from knowledge acquisition to analysis and reflection, and prioritizing human strengths like empathy, creativity, and collaboration. AI should personalize learning without reducing it to efficiency alone—helping students build agency, identity, and purpose. Above all, education must equip learners to shape AI responsibly, cultivating ethical awareness and critical thinking.
5. What role should private companies play in supporting the development of responsible AI literacy at scale? Private companies have a critical role, but their efforts must be collaborative, transparent, and equity-driven. They can invest in curriculum, teacher training, and offline-capable tools that expand access without deepening divides. They should support open, inclusive initiatives over proprietary approaches and help learners understand AI’s ethical and social impacts. By modeling responsible AI practices themselves, companies can build trust and provide examples for education. Scaling AI literacy is a shared responsibility—and companies working with educators, governments, and communities can help create a generation of learners who engage with AI critically, ethically, and confidently.

Industry news

• ☀️ A free summer camp at Princeton University is giving more students the chance to learn about AI. NPR reports on how the camp helps bridge the AI education gap in schools, and why it’s important to make sure the playing field is leveled for all students to learn AI literacy.
• 💼 Business leaders are turning to AI to drive business growth. CIO Dive explores a new survey that found that executives believe investing in more responsible AI practices will lead to fewer costly mistakes and stronger trust from both customers and employees.
• 📖 AI literacy is gaining recognition as a skill that’s more than just learning how to prompt chatbots. In The Conversation U.S. , researchers highlight how to define and assess AI literacy, stressing the need for equitable access and reliable measurement.

Responsible AI at Grammarly

• ✍️ Grammarly launched new specialized AI agents for students and professionals that provide assistance at every stage of the writing process. Users still maintain control and authenticity with the agents, and TechTarget News covers how these agents enhance writing productivity.
• 📰 Forbes spotlights Grammarly’s commitment to responsible AI with our student-focused AI agents. Jenny Maxwell , Head of Grammarly for Education, spoke with Forbes on how the new agents promote academic integrity and transparency, and ensure that students are prepared for professional environments where responsible AI use is essential.
• 🤝 Grammarly partnered with Latimer , the first inclusive LLM. Grammarly for Education customers now get exclusive access to the two services, which improve writing quality and cultural awareness.

We recently launched eight new AI agents designed for students and professionals. Students now are the first generation entering a job market where employers expect both subject expertise AND AI fluency. These agents help with everything from finding credible sources to predicting reader reactions. Expert Review, for example, gives students input grounded in a specific field, from science to business to literary theory. This agent helps students' writing and research engage with what’s happening in their discipline.

Check out more AI news from Grammarly

Grammarly’s CEO, Shishir Mehrotra , just launched his own newsletter on LinkedIn! Follow along each month for his take on how AI is rewriting work and advice from someone who has been in the tech industry for 25+ years.