Are most people using AI incorrectly? Despite its potential to improve efficiency and effectiveness, many report being frustrated with sub-optimal results using it. Could it be because of how it is being used? In this blog, we’ll explore Level 1, 2 and 3 ways of using AI.
Level 1 Use – Task Completion
At Level 1, AI functions primarily as a tool for quickly and efficiently completing tasks, helping users manage heavy workloads and tight deadlines. The main focus here is speed and convenience – getting the job done with minimal effort rather than fostering deeper learning or skill development. For many staff and students, this is their starting point with AI, using it to finish work in minutes rather than spending hours on it. The temptation here is to rely on AI for fast results, simply copy-pasting the AI output before moving on to other activities.
However, this approach comes with significant risks. While Level 1 can save time, it can also undermine true learning. One study showed that although students who used AI during study sessions got more correct answers than those who didn’t use AI, they performed worse on their final exams. The researchers found that students were three times more likely to ask AI for answers rather than seeking help or understanding.
For teachers, this presents a key challenge: if students become dependent on AI for things like their homework, they will miss out on the critical thinking and skill development that homework is meant to encourage.
A second danger of this level is what has been called “falling asleep at the wheel,” which essentially means to blindly trust AI without critically engaging with its output. In a study at The Boston Consulting Group, consultants who relied on AI performed worse on tasks that required human insight, compared to those who did not use AI. When AI made mistakes, the consultants often failed to notice because they had become reliant on the AI output and had “fallen asleep at the wheel”.
This could stem from AI’s ability to “hallucinate,” meaning to generate plausible-sounding but false information. A prime example of this risk occurred last year when New York lawyer Steven Schwartz landed in his own legal trouble after using ChatGPT to research precedents for a lawsuit. The AI had invented six of the seven cases he relied on. This shows the risks of accepting AI’s output without careful verification, a lesson crucial for guiding your students on how to engage critically with AI.
These examples underline the importance of moving staff and students beyond Level 1 task completion. While Level 1 can help with efficiency, it is sometimes dangerous and misses the real potential of AI, which lies in its ability to refine your work into something more meaningful. To truly benefit from AI, it’s important to move beyond Level 1 use and encourage students to “ask for help” instead of “asking for answers” from AI.
Level 2 Use – Jumpstart
At Level 2, AI transitions from being a basic task-completing tool to becoming an assistant that helps you jumpstart your work. Rather than simply providing final answers, AI can generate an initial draft or outline, helping to overcome creative blocks and get the process moving. For example, if you’re planning a lesson or writing a report, AI can offer a rough starting point that you can then refine.
The key at this level is not to accept the AI’s first output blindly, but to use it as a springboard for your own ideas. You might ask the AI for an outline, take that structure, and then add your expertise to improve it. This process is more collaborative than at Level 1, but you’re still in the driver’s seat. You can ask the AI for more details or clarifications, or instead explore alternative approaches to enhance your work. Students can also use AI this way, seeking feedback in the early stages of their assignments.
In Level 2 use, we can think of AI as a brainstorming partner that helps you shape your thinking for tasks such as developing lesson plans, generating discussion questions, or preparing assignments. By using AI to jumpstart tasks, you can save time while still engaging with the process enough to maintain control and ensure quality.
At Level 2 staff and students are engaging in a dialogue with the AI, comparing its output with their own knowledge and making adjustments. It encourages deeper thinking, pushing users to think critically and develop stronger ideas through this collaborative, interactive engagement with AI. By using AI as an assistant, you build the habit of refining their work rather than settling for quick fixes.
Level 3 Use – Co-intelligence
At Level 3, AI is no longer just a tool or assistant – it becomes a co-intelligence, or peer, that you can actively collaborate with. This means using AI not just to generate ideas, but to engage in a reciprocal dialogue, collaborating with it as though it’s a thinking partner. It’s called ChatGPT for a reason: you’re supposed to chat with it.
The goal at Level 3 is to collaborate with the AI in an iterative process, meaning a cycle of back-and-forth refinement between you and the AI. Imagine it as having a conversation with the AI -instead of asking for a one-time answer, you use the AI to critique, refine, and improve your ideas in a more interactive process.
For example, let’s say you’re a teacher preparing a lesson plan. You start by asking AI for a rough draft: “Can you give me an outline for a lesson on fractions?” The AI generates a basic structure, and rather than accepting it as-is, you dig deeper: “That’s a good start, but how can I make the introduction more engaging for my students?” The AI responds with new ideas, and you continue the dialogue: “Okay, I like the real-life examples, but let’s add a hands-on activity.”
This back-and-forth helps you build a stronger plan through continuous refinement. You’re not simply accepting the AI’s responses, you’re treating it like a peer, pushing it to improve your output and going through multiple rounds of critique and revision. Level 3 is about using AI to not only complete tasks but to stretch your thinking and develop stronger, more polished outcomes.
Final thoughts
As AI becomes increasingly embedded in education, understanding its potential and limitations is essential for both teachers and students. While Level 1 may save time, the real value of AI emerges at Levels 2 and 3, where it evolves into an assistant and even a co-intelligence that fosters deeper learning and creativity.
By thoughtfully integrating AI into your teaching practices, you can help students move beyond surface-level engagement and use AI to enhance critical thinking, collaboration, and skill development. The key is not just to use AI, but to use it wisely.
