Interview: “AI is like a thesaurus on steroids” — German studies student about the opportunities and risks of writing with ChatGPT

“Sometimes I have the feeling that my vocabulary is rusting a bit — and that's ironic when you study German language and literature.” With a wink, the 25-year-old master's student at the University of Bonn talks about his everyday life as a student with artificial intelligence. For him, AI is above all a versatile text tool — a mix of turbo thesaurus and patient proofreader. But he also knows that anyone who relies too much on it pays a language price in the end.

Editor: Are you using AI tools for your studies?

Student: Yes, especially ChatGPT. I use it for alternative formulations, when writing essays or term papers, and for grammar and spelling checks — especially when setting commas.

Editor: What do you prefer to use AI for?

Student: Mainly for writing. I use it to refine wording or make texts more fluid. I rarely use AI for research because I know that the sources are often unreliable. I personally don't need them to study — we have almost no classic exams, but mainly written papers.

Editor: How has AI changed your way of studying?

Student: Text control is much easier today. I used to chew through every sentence myself, today I get constructive feedback within seconds. AI is also useful for quick, understandable explanations. However, my basic working style remains the same — I write myself, but with a digital assistant that makes it easier for me to fine-tune.

Editor: Which other AI tools do you know?

Student: In addition to ChatGPT, I know Midjourney. Otherwise, I've seen a few other tools whose names I didn't remember — there are simply too many.

Editor: How do you rate AI in your studies?

Student: Mixed It's a powerful tool, but I'm noticing my ability to write academically waning a bit. My vocabulary is dulling and my linguistic sensitivity is suffering.

Editor: Does AI make sense in your field of study?

Student: Yes, especially for correction and formulation assistance. I don't need learning plans myself, but they can be useful for others.

Editor: What risks do you see?

Student: Many rely too heavily on AI. You can see this not only in the texts, but also in seminar discussions. Anyone who relies too much on AI loses independence. Strict, demanding professors recognize this immediately — the style often seems too smooth and interchangeable.

Editor: Morally justifiable?

Student: Yes, as long as it remains clear what my work is and what AI has contributed. It can supplement, not replace.

Editor: Regulation needed?

Student: Perhaps there should be a clear labeling requirement that shows which parts of text come from AI. This could create more transparency and sensitize students and teachers. However, I am realistic: there will probably always be loopholes and creative workarounds.

Editor: Risk of plagiarism?

Student: Very high — especially with AI-generated texts, it is often incomprehensible from which sources or from which context certain formulations originate, which makes it difficult to check for plagiarism.

Editor: Your ideal AI?

Student: A perfect correction function that not only recognizes and authentically imitates my style, but also consistently maintains my individual expression and makes suggestions that match my personal spelling — so that I still remain clearly identifiable as the author despite AI support.

Conclusion: For him, AI is primarily a relaxed but powerful assistant for texts and corrections — a kind of personal editor who never gets tired. It saves a lot of time, smooths out bumpy sentences and fine-tunes the language. At the same time, he knows that anyone who only allows the machine to think will in the long run forget how to express themselves in a differentiated way. His tip: use AI consciously and see it as a tool — because anyone who uses it wisely wins; anyone who blindly relies on it quickly falls into the comfort trap.