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On Sept. 24, 2025, Syracuse University became one of the first universities in the country to deliver institution-wide access to the generative artificial intelligence tool Claude through a partnership with Anthropic.

A 2026 study revealed that 86% of students use generative AI in their studies, with ChatGPT cited as the most widely used tool. It’s undeniable that generative AI makes routine tasks easier to complete. With a few prompts, students can draft a professional email, summarize a reading or produce AI-generated “art” for social media and entertainment.

Beyond the classroom, AI is also advancing important missions, from beehive pattern recognition strengthening interventions to save the endangered bee population to reading radiology imaging in health care.

But, as a humanities major, it’s bizarre to see how quickly AI has transformed course syllabi, assignments and classroom engagement. Professors I had as a sophomore — and now again as a senior — have been forced to rethink how they conduct tests and assignments to combat AI usage, encouraging material retention and critical thinking. In some cases, this has meant a return to paper tests and technology-free classrooms to prevent students from outsourcing their thinking to AI.

But what we don’t see is the cost.

Generating a single 100-word email with ChatGPT-4 requires more than one bottle of water. Generate that email once a week for a year, and water use can total roughly 27 liters. Data centers, which........

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