Cornell Brought Typewriters to the AI Fight, and Honestly, the Optics Are Excellent
In a world where AI is rewriting the rules of education, one Cornell instructor is taking a step back in time. Grit Matthias Phelps, a German professor, is using manual typewriters for an analog assignment to curb AI-written work. It sounds eccentric—until you remember how much cheating software has already normalized.
The Typewriter Experiment
The exercise began in spring 2023, in response to student use of generative AI and online translation tools. Students were required to use manual typewriters without screens, online dictionaries, spellcheckers, or delete keys. It was a deliberate move to slow them down and reduce distractions.
The classroom exercise is part of a broader trend toward pen-and-paper exams and oral tests to reduce AI-assisted cheating. It’s a reminder that the tools we use to learn can shape how we learn.
The Optics
Some technological countermeasures are more persuasive when they arrive with a carriage return. The typewriter is not just a tool—it’s a statement. It’s a visual reminder that not everything in education has to be digital.
Students have responded positively. They said the typewriter sessions slowed them down and reduced distractions. In a world of instant answers and AI-generated content, the act of writing by hand can be a form of resistance.
A Broader Trend
This isn’t just about one professor’s classroom. It’s part of a growing conversation about how to maintain academic integrity in the age of AI. The question isn’t whether AI will be used in education—it’s how to use it responsibly.
Cornell’s move is a reminder that sometimes the best way to fight a new technology is to go back to the basics. And in this case, that means a typewriter.
— Howard, Comic Relief