Dr. Danielle Condry is an Associate Professor, Graduate Director, and Assistant Head of the Department of Microbiological Sciences at North Dakota State University.

How many times have I heard my colleagues say, “I’m burned out,” over the last few years? Too many to count. And, if I’m honest, I’ve said it myself more than a few times. The relentless demand to do more with less, the never-ending emails, and the administrative work creeping into nights and weekends all add up. Teaching should be about inspiring students and engaging with the content we love; too often, it feels like we’re drowning in the logistics of making it all happen. 

Enter AI. 

Before you roll your eyes or brace for a futuristic sales pitch, let me assure you—I was skeptical, too. The fear of technology replacing the human element in education is real. I’ve thought about these concerns: Will AI encourage laziness? What about bias? What if it makes mistakes? But I’ve found a way to use AI that isn’t replacing me as an educator; it’s supporting me. And in a time when faculty burnout is rampant, that support makes all the difference. 

Burnout and the Reality of Teaching Today 
Faculty burnout is not a new problem, but it is getting worse. A 2022–23 Healthy Minds survey of college faculty and instructors found that 64% reported feeling burned out due to work. Burnout rates were higher among women (69%) and gender minority faculty (71%) compared to men (57%).¹ The pressure to stay current, meet student needs, answer a flood of emails, grade hundreds of assignments, and still carve out time for research, service, and personal life—it’s a lot. Add in the growing expectation that we should also be integrating new technology into our courses, including AI, and the weight of it all becomes exhausting. 

Yet, the irony is that AI can be part of the solution—not in a “let’s replace educators with chatbots” kind of way, but in the sense that AI can take some of the load off our plates, allowing us to focus on what we do best: teaching and mentoring students.  

AI as a Teaching Assistant (That Doesn’t Need Office Hours or Pay or Credit) 
One of the biggest time-savers I’ve found is using AI to help with the parts of my job that, while necessary, aren’t the best use of my time. AI tools have helped me: 

• Generate and edit assignments for clarity—Sometimes, we know what we want students to do, but explaining it clearly, concisely, and accessibly can take multiple drafts. AI helps me refine assignment descriptions so that students understand expectations the first time they read them. 
  • Prompt: “Rewrite this assignment description to be clearer and more concise while ensuring accessibility for first-generation learners: [insert assignment text].” 

• Draft rubrics and assignment descriptions—Instead of starting from scratch, I use AI to generate a draft, which I then refine to fit my course. This alone has saved me hours of work. 
  • Prompt: “Create a draft rubric for an assignment that assesses [learning objective] with clear criteria and performance levels.” 

• Generate quiz and exam questions—AI doesn’t replace my judgment, but it can spark ideas, help diversify question types and assessment formats, and check the alignment between my inputted questions, learning objectives, and course activities. 
  • Prompt: “Generate [number] quiz questions on [topic], using a mix of multiple-choice, short answer, and application-based formats for these [learning objectives].” 

• Rework syllabi for clarity and inclusivity—Sometimes, AI picks up on areas that might be confusing or exclusionary, prompting me to revise language to be more student-friendly. 
  • Prompt: “Review this syllabus section for clarity and inclusivity, suggesting revisions to improve student understanding: [insert text].” 

These aren’t flashy uses of AI, but they are practical. In the grand scheme of things, practical is exactly what I need when I’m juggling multiple courses and hundreds of students. 

The Ethical Gray Areas: A Constantly Moving Target 
Of course, AI isn’t perfect. It hallucinates. It sometimes fabricates sources. It can reinforce biases inherited from its training data. And let’s not forget the ethical dilemma of when and how students should use AI in their coursework. 

But education has always had gray areas. When the internet became mainstream, it certainly changed the way students learned—and cheated. But we also discovered its advantages: auto-graded homework, engaging videos and interactive activities, expanded access to information and current research, the flexibility of virtual classrooms, and more. Today, many of us would find it difficult to teach without the internet. AI is no different—it brings challenges but also opportunities to enhance learning. As educators, our role isn’t to reject new technology out of fear but to thoughtfully integrate, question, and refine its use in our classrooms. 

I don’t claim to have all the answers, and AI is evolving so quickly that today’s best practices may look outdated in a year. But avoiding AI out of fear isn’t the answer, either. Instead, we need to be proactive in shaping how it’s used in higher education—both for our students and for ourselves. 

Concrete Ways to Get Started (Without Overwhelming Yourself) 
If AI still feels overwhelming, start small. Here are a few ways to integrate AI into your workflow without feeling like you’re reinventing the wheel: 

1. Use AI to Generate a First Draft—Whether it’s a rubric, discussion question, or assignment prompt, let AI create something you can tweak. You’re still in control, but it cuts down on the initial time investment. Or if you are uncomfortable with AI-generating the first draft, have AI read your first draft, looking for particular edits, like clarity!  

2. Automate Repetitive Tasks—If you find yourself answering the same student questions over and over, consider using AI-generated FAQs or automated responses for common inquiries. Copy common questions and responses from your emails or discussion board, then ask AI to organize and refine them into a clear, accessible FAQ to share with your class. 

3. Get Help with Course Content—AI can suggest ways to explain concepts differently, generate relatable examples, or even create practice problems tailored to different learners.

4. Use AI for Reflection—Have AI review your syllabus from the perspective of a first-generation college student. Does it feel accessible? Does it assume background knowledge that not all students have? These insights can make your course more inclusive. 

5. Experiment with AI Feedback—With FERPA in Mind—AI can assist with grading and feedback but be mindful of Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) regulations. You cannot input student work into AI systems that are open to learning, as this risks exposing student data. Some institutions may have closed AI systems that do not release input into the larger model, but unless you are positive your AI tool meets FERPA compliance, keep identifiable student work out of AI platforms. However, AI can still help by generating common feedback phrases, suggesting rubric refinements, or identifying patterns in grading feedback across students work—freeing up time for deeper engagement with students. 

Who Benefits When Faculty Use AI? 
Let’s be clear—this isn’t just about making my life easier (though I won’t pretend that’s not a perk). Students benefit, too. When faculty have more time to engage with students, provide meaningful feedback, and design better learning experiences, everyone wins. And let’s not forget newer faculty who are juggling teaching for the first time—having AI assist with the logistics of course design can help them manage their first semester. 

Bottom line? AI is a tool, not magic. It won’t resolve systemic issues in higher education, but it can help alleviate some daily stressors that contribute to burnout. For that reason alone, it’s worth exploring. 

The Future: A Balancing Act 
I don’t believe AI is the enemy of education. I also don’t believe it’s the cure-all. As with any tool, it’s about how we use it. Thoughtfully. Ethically. Strategically. With an eye on both the benefits and the pitfalls. 

So, if you’re skeptical, I get it. But I also encourage you to take a breath and start small. Let AI handle some of the grunt work and see if that frees you up to focus on what really matters: the students, the content, and the joy of teaching. 

Because, at the end of the day, that’s why we entered this field in the first place. And anything that helps us reclaim that? I’m all for it. 

Acknowledgments: ChatGPT was used to organize this post, and Grammarly was used for clarity and grammar.  

1. https://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/psychology-teacher-network/introductory-psychology/faculty-burnout-survey ↩︎

MEET THE AUTHOR

Dr. Danielle Condry is an Associate Professor, Graduate Director, and Assistant Head of the Department of Microbiological Sciences at North Dakota State University. She has a passion for curriculum development and has led efforts to align microbiology and biotechnology programs with national standards and workforce needs. Her research interests include discipline-based education research, with projects on assessing student learning through concept inventories, implementing community-engaged learning in science curricula, and exploring equitable grading strategies in large-enrollment courses. Danielle is also committed to student success, mentoring graduate students, and fostering equity in education. Beyond academia, she enjoys outdoor activities, yoga, reading, gardening, cooking, traveling, and family life with her husband and daughters.