Deep Reading in the age of AI

In many classrooms today, information moves faster than ever before. Students can search for summaries, generate explanations through AI tools, and skim through large amounts of digital content within minutes. But the dilemma is that this focus on speed is changing how students engage with texts. Even for exams, they often rely on prompts as if they were cheat codes. Increasingly, educators are noticing a shift from slow, reflective reading to quick scanning for key points.

We live in a world that moves rapidly, filled with tight deadlines and constant distractions. AI has entered academic spaces, and even professors have not entirely escaped dependence on it. While it offers speed and convenience, it also risks making our minds passive. This is why reading and writing have become more important than ever—to preserve depth, reflection, and independent thinking.

"When students engage deeply with literature, they develop critical thinking skills, empathy, and the ability to interpret complex perspectives, as reading allows students to step into lives very different from their own."

What is Deep Reading?

This is where the idea of deep reading becomes essential. Deep reading refers to thoughtful and immersive engagement with a text. It involves reading line by line, often re-reading to fully grasp concepts, reflecting on ideas, imagining characters, questioning arguments, and connecting them to personal experiences.

It is not simply about finishing a book, but about allowing the text to shape how we think and understand the world.

Today, when students are asked to read a book, many turn to AI-generated summaries instead. However, this approach does not build comprehension or critical thinking. Students may struggle to sit with a story, reflect on characters’ emotions, or question an author’s intent. Many find it difficult to stay engaged with a text long enough to truly understand it.

The Skill Decline

The decline in reading skills is becoming increasingly visible. It often feels as though everyone is adopting pre-defined ways of thinking, as if alternative perspectives no longer exist. The very foundation of disciplines like the humanities is being questioned.

Deep reading of complex materials—such as policy papers—cannot be replaced by AI. Understanding the broader impact, questioning perspectives, and analysing intent require human thought and reflection. These are skills that emerge only through sustained engagement with text.

When students engage deeply with literature, they develop critical thinking, empathy, and the ability to interpret complex perspectives. Reading allows them to step into lives very different from their own.

To AI or Not AI

As a teacher, I have observed noticeable changes in students’ reading habits over the years. While many are comfortable navigating digital texts, they often struggle to sustain attention when reading longer passages or complete books.

However, this does not mean we should discourage or restrict AI entirely. The world students live in has shaped their behaviour. There is demand for such tools, and eliminating access is neither practical nor effective.

Instead, the focus should be on guiding students to use AI responsibly—treating it as a tool, much like an advanced calculator, rather than a replacement for thinking. Real understanding must still come from their own engagement.

This cannot be achieved through lectures alone. Students are unlikely to respond to warnings about overusing AI. Instead, we need to create meaningful learning experiences.

One effective approach is to teach students how to use AI correctly while also providing spaces where they can read and write for enjoyment. Encouraging reading aloud in class, writing assignments by hand, and organising reading circles can transform reading into an engaging and shared activity.

Conclusion

It is not that students have lost their curiosity—they have not. Their curiosity has simply shifted, often towards areas like pop culture. This is not necessarily negative. Instead, educators can connect these interests to deeper reading practices.

For example, if students are interested in Korean TV shows, teachers can use those narratives to introduce themes, character analysis, and storytelling techniques. At the same time, comparing student writing with AI-generated content can help them recognise the uniqueness of human creativity.

Encouraging students to maintain reading journals can further deepen engagement. Writing personal reflections, favourite lines, or questions allows them to interact with texts beyond surface-level understanding.

We should see AI as a reminder of what makes human learning unique. While AI can process information rapidly, it cannot replicate the reflective, emotional, and ethical depth that emerges through deep reading.