Boston University Suggests AI as Alternative Amid Graduate Student Strike

In response to an ongoing strike by graduate students, Boston University leadership proposes using AI for student feedback and discussion facilitation.

• Boston University's Dean of Arts & Sciences, Stan Sclaroff, proposed using generative AI tools to replace the work of striking graduate students in course discussions and lab sections.
• The suggestion was made amid a strike by the Boston University Graduate Worker Union (BUGWU), which began on March 20, demanding fair wages and benefits.
• Faculty and union members criticized the proposal, highlighting the irreplaceable value of human educators and the potential quality loss in education.
• The university clarified that the suggestion was among several for managing academic work during the strike, not a plan to replace graduate student teaching assistants permanently.
• The strike has disrupted academic operations, affecting the university's 37,000-plus students, as negotiations between the university and the union continue.

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