Student writing with generative AI: Inspiration or intellectual appropriation?

The rapid proliferation of generative artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to profoundly transform the academic writing process. This study investigates how generative AI writing tools are used by students in a Master’s module. Student goals and experiences were captured using pre- and post-surveys and reflective journals. The results provide information about the use of AI in different writing phases and show differences between high-performing and low-performing students. Generative AI functions as a source of inspiration, but also as a way of bypassing academic work. The crucial aspect is how competently the students use these technologies.