Jiang Yanyan, an associate professor at Nanjing University’s School of Computer Science, raised concerns in his course “Generative Software Engineering” by stating that “CS students without their own Tokens should be expelled from the program.” Jiang clarified that his remarks aimed to emphasize the importance of Tokens as key resources, rather than directly discouraging students from participating. The software industry currently relies heavily on AI-assisted programming, but the cost of using Tokens makes it difficult for some students to try paid models frequently due to financial reasons, creating a new “use gap.” Research shows that paid users are significantly more frequent in their use and more trusting of AI outputs than free users. The education sector is facing the challenge of balancing resource allocation and fairness: if students have to bear the full cost, it may exacerbate inequality; if schools provide unlimited access, it may lead to waste. While centralized procurement might save money, it may also widen disparities between schools. Additionally, emerging fields like “embodied intelligence” require a large amount of Tokens, while traditional education models are facing the anxiety of being replaced by AI, and some process-oriented programs have stopped enrolling students. Jiang advocates placing practice at the center of the classroom, with his course recordings not being counted...
Jiang Yanyan, an associate professor at Nanjing University’s School of Computer Science, proposed in the PPT for the “Generative Software Engineering” course that “CS students without Tokens should be expelled immediately,” sparking discussions on social media. Jiang clarified that his statement aimed to emphasize that Tokens are becoming a resource that needs to be taken seriously, rather than simply discouraging students from using them. The article pointed out that differences in the cost of using AI tools create a new “gap in usage”: paid users have a higher frequency of use and greater trust compared to free users. Regarding who should bear the costs, it was analyzed that Tokens are similar to consumables, and having the school bear all costs could lead to waste, while having students bear the full cost would exacerbate inequality. There is a phenomenon of “tokenmaxxing” in the industry, and the education sector is facing new challenges in updating professional directories and allocating resources. Jiang advocated placing practice at the center of the classroom; his course recordings are not included in the evaluation for recommended postgraduate admissions, with only two grades: Pass or No Pass. His statement aimed to draw attention to the cost of Tokens and the distribution of educational resources, but it should not be the only criterion for evaluating teachers or courses.
Jiang Yanyan, an associate professor at Nanjing University’s School of Computer Science, proposed in the PPT for the “Generative Software Engineering” course that “CS students without Tokens should be expelled immediately,” sparking discussions on social media. Jiang clarified that his statement aimed to emphasize the importance of treating Tokens as critical resources and not merely as a way to discourage students from taking courses. The software industry currently relies heavily on AI-assisted programming, but the cost of using Tokens makes it difficult for some students to try paid models frequently due to financial reasons, creating a new “gap in usage.” Research shows that paid users are significantly more frequent in their use and more trusting of AI outputs than free users. The education sector is facing the challenge of balancing resource allocation and fairness: if students have to bear the full cost, it may exacerbate inequality; if schools provide unlimited access, it may lead to waste. While centralized procurement might be cheaper, it may also widen disparities between schools. Additionally, emerging fields like “embodied intelligence” have a huge demand for Tokens, while traditional education models are facing the anxiety of being replaced by AI, and some process-oriented majors have stopped enrolling students. The course offered by Jiang Yanyan is for…