Artificial intelligence is no longer confined to computer science labs at the University of Memphis (U of M).
It now appears in syllabi, classroom policies, and student conversations, and the university has rolled out an AI concentration in its master’s information systems degree program to meet rapid technological change.
Yet students across majors experience AI unevenly. Some encounter it as a banned tool, others as an unspoken presence, and still others refuse to use it on principle. Interviews with students, faculty, and a recent U of M graduate reveal how AI is reshaping classrooms and what students believe the university is missing.
“AI Comes Up Only as a Warning”
For many students, AI appears less as a resource and more as a caution sign.
Raven Collins, a Music Therapy major, says AI is discussed frequently in her classes, but only as something to avoid.
“AI comes up often in my classes but it’s only to tell us not to use generative AI for our assignments or group work,” she said.
She regularly uses longstanding AI-driven tools — mixing software, studio programs, digital audio technology — but says classroom messaging treats all AI as the same, ignoring distinctions between traditional assistive tools and newer generative systems.
“Applied AI doesn’t really have a place in my major besides warnings and different ways people can try to protect their work from generative AI use,” she said.
Her experience highlights a broader gap: students already live with AI in their disciplines, but classroom conversations often reduce it to a single prohibited category.
“We’re Building a Foundation” — The Department Chair’s Perspective
Thomas Stafford, chair of the U of M’s Department of Management Information Systems, frames the new AI curriculum as a response to industry needs.
“Our Applied AI concept… is to prepare our graduates for the emerging AI enabled workforce,” Stafford said.
The program includes courses in prompt engineering, AI-assisted application development, analytics, database management, and CyberEthics. Stafford says students appreciate hands-on work and permission to use AI tools.
Stafford acknowledges ethical and environmental anxieties among students and faculty:
“There is a minority … who are concerned about the environmental and ethical impacts of AI use in society and in the university,” he said.
Stafford said these concerns are addressed through committees, acceptable-use policies, and the CyberEthics course. Still, the university must balance preparing students for an AI-driven workforce with responding to real-world risks.
AI Isn’t Just a Classroom Issue. It’s a Memphis Issue.
Raven’s concerns about AI extend beyond coursework.
“I don’t think professors and students truly understand how harmful generative AI is on the planet, in low-income communities, etc.,” she said.
That worry is echoed by Richard Massey, a recent U of M graduate and environmental advocate from West Memphis. He chose not to use AI at all during college.
“I saw firsthand … the effect that generative AI and AI infrastructure has on vulnerable communities,” Massey said. “So, I … abstain from using AI.”
Massey has helped organize student efforts challenging xAI’s datacenter expansion in Memphis. He describes residents in Boxtown, Whitehaven, Westwood, and Walker Homes reporting asthma attacks, breathing difficulties, and noise from methane-powered hyperscale data centers.
“Communities that have existed since the 1860s … are now being told they have to accept the conditions of these massive hyperscale data centers … churning out carbon dioxide, formaldehyde, nitrogen oxide, and worsening their quality of life,” Massey said.
He points to a recent report showing xAI as one of the largest polluters in the Tennessee Valley region.
For Massey, AI education cannot be separated from these realities.
“Are we equipping students with an understanding that the use of these tools … has implications?” he asked.
He argues the university has a moral obligation to integrate environmental literacy into AI instruction.
What Students Want from AI Education
Across interviews, students consistently ask for:
- Clear guidance, not just warnings.
- Distinctions between traditional and generative AI so they understand what’s prohibited.
- AI literacy across majors, not just in technical programs.
- Environmental and ethical context, especially given Memphis’s datacenter expansion.
- Support for independent thinking so AI strengthens, not replaces, critical thought.
Raven put it simply:
“I wonder if professors have thought of any class plans that help students combat dependency on generative AI and think independently for themselves,” she said.
The Bigger Picture
AI is reshaping Memphis from classrooms to industrial sites to local policy debates. Students are navigating this shift in real time, often without the guidance they feel they need. Some majors have adapted; others lag. Some students see AI as a tool; others see it as a threat.
What unites them is the recognition that AI is tied to real infrastructure, emissions, health outcomes, and communities.
As Massey notes, artificial intelligence represents “the most substantial technological expansion in human history,” but people are paying for it “in higher electric bills … imminent water contamination … [and] air quality” changes near data centers.
For Memphis, the question is not whether AI will shape the city’s future. It already has. The question is whether institutions like the U of M will teach students not only how to use AI, but how to understand it, question it, and protect their communities from its harms.
