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In this episode of Mentoring Matters, we tackle a question that's been on a lot of mentors' minds: how do we guide our graduate students in using AI without letting it replace the critical thinking skills we're trying to build? Mary gets honest about her hesitation to even bring up AI with her students, and Steph shares how she's been integrating tools like Claude and Notebook LM into her mentoring and teaching.

Together, we explore the idea of training students to be AI-assisted scientists rather than AI-dependent ones, and what it looks like to shift from content creator to creative director in your own work. We dig into the real risk of skill atrophy when students hand off tasks they haven't yet mastered, and we land on a practical gut check: if you wouldn't be comfortable telling your advisor exactly how you used AI, it's time to rethink your approach.

Whether you're already using AI in your mentoring or still figuring out where to start, this conversation will give you a framework for setting expectations, encouraging transparency, and helping your students build the AI literacy they'll need in their careers. Spoiler: it starts with just having the conversation.

For actionable tips and strategies for mentoring please check out The Graduate Mentor's Trail Map available in paperback and ebook!

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