The AI Paradox: Workload Burden or Efficiency Boost

GenAI is reshaping faculty workload, but outcomes depend on how often it’s used.

The Findings

According to the Time for Class report, faculty experiences with generative AI vary widely, with frequency of use playing a major role. 38% of instructors reported that GenAI has increased their workload, while only 11% reported a decrease. Faculty shared that the added time often comes from monitoring for potential cheating and redesigning assessments.

Increased Workload

Decrease Workload

However, when it comes to daily GenAI users, the pattern shifts. 36% report a decrease in workload, compared to 26% who say it has increased. These instructors are also twice as likely to implement policies that teach students how to use GenAI effectively. The data suggests there’s a learning curve: The more frequently faculty engage with GenAI, the more likely they are to see efficiency gains.

Decrease Workload

Increased Workload

The Breakdown

“Tension starts to emerge when we think about faculty reporting an increase in workload,” said Dr. Zone, “but then also understanding that as they get more attuned to these tools, the workload begins to decrease.” Dr. Zone also pointed out that the conversation around AI is shifting beyond concerns about cheating, toward opportunities to personalize learning and meeting students where they are.

Catherine Shaw echoed this, sharing that the time savings that daily users of generative AI report are significant. She emphasized that faculty begin to see benefits once they’ve taken the time to learn how to use GenAI in their courses, understand how students are using it and develop course policies that align with their teaching modality.

“[Instructors will move from thinking] ‘no longer will I be worried about academic integrity’,” Shaw said, “’because I am changing the way I assess. I am changing the way I make students work with each other more to learn in a way that isn’t multiple choice, isn’t easily gamed with generative AI’.”

At Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC), Jordan O’Connell is just one example of an educator who has embraced AI and is sharing his learnings with his team. “Our team at NICC has used it as an opportunity to put our heads together and share ideas about what’s possible in all of the different facets of our community college,” says the instructor and instructional designer. He’s also seen the shift away from worrying about students using AI to cheat.

The Takeaway

Faculty who use GenAI regularly are finding ways to save time and improve instruction. Institutions can help by:

Supporting faculty with training that focuses on practical classroom applications

Encouraging course redesigns that reduce reliance on easily gamed assessments

Promoting collaboration among instructors to share effective GenAI strategies

In Practice

A Super-User Explains How AI is Accelerating Course Design

Jordan O’Connell, who works at Northeast Iowa Community College, is an AI convert. Here’s how he and his team are using AI tools to improve the student experience and make course design a snap.

“AI is going to force us to become effective instructors in a way that current systems and incentives really haven’t forced us to do.”

Jordan O’Connell

Instructor and Instructional Designer, Northeast Iowa Community College