Human Wisdom for the Age of AI – FAQs

The Student Guide to Artificial Intelligence is a free educational publication series created to help students develop the knowledge, judgment and skills needed to thrive in an AI-infused world. The series began in 2024 with an introduction to AI for college students, expanded in 2025 with practical guidance for academic and career applications of AI, and evolved in 2026 with Human Wisdom for the Age of AI: A Field Guide to Cultivating Essential Skills, which focuses on developing the uniquely human capabilities that become increasingly valuable as AI grows more powerful.

The first two editions emphasized AI literacy and responsible use of AI tools. As AI capabilities expanded rapidly, educators began expressing concern that students also needed support in developing the human capacities that AI cannot replace. The 2026 edition shifts attention from technology to curiosity, critical thinking, deep thinking, creativity, communication, judgment, ethics, adaptability and purpose—the capabilities that enable students to work wisely with AI rather than becoming dependent upon it. The guide deliberately combines contemporary AI issues with ideas from influential thinkers across cultures and centuries, incorporating enduring ideas from history to help students think about modern challenges in more durable ways.

The Student Guide to AI is produced by Elon University in partnership with the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) and The Princeton Review. The project was developed by the faculty and staff of Elon’s Imagining the Digital Future Center working in collaboration with an international group of consulting scholars and researchers. Click here to see a list of those involved in creating the 2026 publication.

Neither. The guide takes a human-centered approach to AI education. It argues that technological literacy and human development should advance together. It encourages students to use AI where it strengthens learning while continuing to develop the distinctly human capabilities that AI cannot replace. The guide assumes AI will become an increasingly important part of education and professional life. Its purpose is to help students become capable, ethical and independent users of AI rather than passive consumers of AI-generated output.

Higher education is seeing growing concern that while AI can improve productivity, it may also encourage students to outsource important aspects of thinking and learning. Recent faculty surveys have found widespread concern about increasing student dependence on AI, diminished critical thinking and reduced engagement in deep learning. Emerging educational research also suggests that while AI can improve short-term performance on some tasks, students may retain less knowledge when AI replaces rather than supports cognitive effort. The Human Wisdom guide was developed as a constructive response to these concerns—not by discouraging AI use, but by helping students intentionally cultivate the human capacities that remain essential in an AI-rich world.

The guide was designed primarily for:

• undergraduate college students
• faculty
• academic support professionals
• librarians
• student affairs educators

It is also appropriate for many secondary schools, professional programs and lifelong learners.

No. The materials were intentionally designed to work across virtually every discipline. The focus is on human capabilities that support learning in any field.

Yes. Instructors can assign the entire guide early in the course term or integrate selected exercises throughout the academic term.

Not necessarily. The guide is designed to be modular. Faculty may:

• assign the complete publication
• select individual chapters
• assign only the exercises most relevant to a course
• use the discussion questions during classes

Yes. Each chapter in the 2026 Human Wisdom guide includes a companion Teacher’s Guide module with:

• learning objectives
• lesson plans
• classroom activities
• worksheets
• discussion questions
• PowerPoint slides

Modules can be used independently or combined into larger instructional units. Faculty are encouraged to adapt the materials to meet their own learning goals, course content and teaching style. You can download the teaching materials here.

Yes. Institutions are encouraged to use the guide in settings beyond the classroom, such as:

• orientation
• first-year experience
• writing centers
• tutoring
• libraries
• residence life
• career services
• faculty development
• workshops
• AI literacy initiatives

Yes. All Student Guide to AI publications and materials are available free of charge. This non-commercial resource is provided as a public good initiative by Elon University in keeping with the principles of the statement: “Higher education’s essential role in preparing humanity for the artificial intelligence revolution.” There are no subscription fees, licensing fees or institutional costs.

Yes. You may:

• share the PDF
• post links on your LMS
• include it in course materials
• distribute it electronically
• print copies for educational use

Yes. The publications are released under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0) license for noncommercial educational use. Educators may adapt, revise and build upon the materials while providing appropriate attribution to Elon University. Individual pages, graphics, activities and teaching materials may be incorporated into institutional educational resources with attribution.

Yes. Colleges and universities may request a customized edition featuring their institutional logo on the cover for campus distribution. Send a request along with a logo file via email to imagine@elon.edu. There is no charge for this service.

Since the series launched, the publications have been accessed by faculty, staff and students at more than 4,000 colleges, universities, schools and organizations in over 175 countries.

Yes. The 2026 edition is endorsed by:

• American Library Association
• CAA Academic Alliance
• EDUCAUSE
• John N. Gardner Institute
• NASPA
• Online Learning Consortium
• RTI International

Yes. Many colleges and universities are developing institution-wide approaches to artificial intelligence that extend beyond classroom technology. The Human Wisdom guide complements those efforts by providing a common educational framework that can be used across academic affairs, student affairs, libraries, teaching and learning centers, orientation programs and career services.

Because the guide focuses on broadly applicable human capacities rather than discipline-specific technical skills, it provides a shared vocabulary that can unite AI initiatives across campus. Institutions have used the guide to support faculty development, first-year experiences, AI literacy initiatives and strategic conversations about preparing graduates for an AI-infused future.

Rather than replacing existing AI training, the guide provides a human-centered foundation that helps students and educators use AI thoughtfully, ethically and effectively.

Institutions may begin by:

• assigning the guide during first-year orientation or introducing it in first-year seminars
• sharing it with faculty before the semester begins
• incorporating selected modules into workshops
• linking it through the library, teaching center or an AI resources website

All available Student Guide to AI materials are linked on our homepage: studentguidetoai.org

If you need assistance, have a special request or an idea for future resources, contact the Student Guide to AI lead author, Daniel J. Anderson, special assistant to the president, Elon University.