An AI Reveals the Flaws in College System, according to a History Professor

Steven Mintz, a history professor at the University of Texas at Austin, argues that artificial intelligence did not break higher education it exposed long-standing flaws in teaching methods. Mintz observed that traditional lectures and standardized essays had dehumanized learning well before AI became widespread.

When Mintz reviewed 400 student essays, he noticed striking uniformity: identical phrasing, structure, and conclusions. In a LinkedIn post, he described this as a crisis of pedagogy rather than cheating. For years, he explained, universities have functioned like factories: mass lectures, uniform prompts, and grading rubrics managed largely by overburdened teaching assistants. What professors called mentorship, Mintz contends, was actually "industrialized education."

AI, according to Mintz, has simply exposed the hollowness of this system. "Machines can already perform most of what we ask students to do often more effectively," he wrote. "When hundreds of students produce identical essays in seconds, the issue lies with the assignments, not the learners."

In communication with Business Insider, Mintz criticized the traditional take-home essay as outdated, noting that AI now excels in the exact skills these assignments test: research, context comprehension, and argument construction. He has shifted to in-class assessments, oral presentations without notes, and student-led discussions. "There should be no graded work outside of class. Evaluation should focus solely on observable in-person activities," he explained.

Mintz envisions AI managing "mastery learning" basic knowledge, chronology, and conceptual frameworks allowing students to concentrate on "inquiry learning," where they ask questions and develop complex arguments. He advocates for reinforcing essential literacies like research, writing, numeracy, and critical reading in ways that foster creativity and independent thought.

He emphasized, "Students must graduate able to research, write, speak clearly, analyze critically, and be prepared for their careers." Continuing business as usual, he warned, risks eroding public trust in higher education and the value of a degree.

For Mintz, AI is a reflective tool, showing how much universities have relied on rote learning and strayed from educational fundamentals. "AI doesnt dehumanize higher education; it reveals how dehumanized it already is and gives us one last chance to reclaim its essence," he wrote on Substack.

Looking forward, Mintz told Business Insider that the next five years must focus on reinvention. "We need to redesign assessment and offer courses emphasizing slow reading, ethical dilemmas, historical reasoning, data fluency, and creative problem-solving," he said. He also called for investment in seminars, mentorship, undergraduate research, and experiential learning.

Colleges now face a decision: maintain rigid standardization or restructure around uniquely human skills. "This is our opportunity to redesign, not defend, the future of learning," Mintz concluded on LinkedIn.

Analysis: AI as a Mirror for Higher Education’s Structural Flaws

Steven Mintz’s observations highlight a critical turning point for universities. AI has not caused a collapse in higher education; it has simply exposed preexisting weaknesses in pedagogical methods. The uniformity he observed in 400 student essays reflects systemic issues: standardized prompts, overreliance on lectures, and grading structures that prioritize efficiency over intellectual engagement.

Mintz’s approach—shifting toward in-class assessments, oral presentations, and student-led discussions—illustrates a practical path forward. By focusing evaluation on observable, in-person skills, educators can emphasize critical thinking, creativity, and effective communication rather than rote reproduction of information. AI, in this framework, can handle mastery learning, freeing instructors and students to engage in inquiry-driven learning.

The broader implication is clear: continuing traditional, standardized assessment risks eroding both learning outcomes and public trust in higher education. Mintz’s call for investment in mentorship, undergraduate research, and experiential learning underscores the necessity of centering uniquely human skills in curriculum design. The next five years, he argues, must be defined by reinvention rather than defense of outdated methods.

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• A history professor says AI didn't break college — it exposed how broken it already was