Generative AI as an Equity Tool: Reframing Writing and Pedagogy in Higher Education

As a high school student, I was told by my teacher that I was “not a writer,” a dismissal that shaped my identity for years. Even as a tenured professor, impostor syndrome crept in. My relationship with writing began to shift when I experimented with generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) as a tool for editorial support. Rather than replacing my voice, GenAI helped me refine it, reminding me that I was still in control of the writing process. This experience aligns with emerging research which demonstrates how generative AI can support writing development, confidence, and equity for marginalized faculty and students when used as a scaffolded feedback tool. Faculty at teaching-focused institutions and marginalized scholars often lack resources that colleagues at elite research institutions may have. Students, too, experience doubt and exclusion in their writing journeys. Bans on GenAI risk furthering inequities, while intentional scaffolding allows it to serve as a confidence-building tool. By modeling ethical and responsible use, educators can reframe GenAI as a support for democratic pedagogies that amplify the voices of marginalized individuals, and the to restore confidence and affirm belonging, for faculty and students alike.