From Brainstorming to Boundaries

The increasing presence of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in higher education has created new challenges and opportunities for writing centers. Peer tutors are now encountering student work that has been shaped, in whole or in part, by AI tools. Responding to this development requires balancing the pedagogical goal of supporting students’ learning with institutional expectations for academic integrity. This study examines how peer tutors at the American University of Sharjah (AUS) Writing Center employ AI tools in their sessions and the boundaries they set. Data were collected from a focus group discussion, a collaboratively authored staff document, and a follow-up staff meeting. Thematic analysis of these data reveals that tutors use AI selectively for purposes such as generating ideas, clarifying language, and simplifying complex readings, while avoiding uses that would replace students’ own writing or promote the use of AI. The study offers practical insights for writing centers seeking to integrate AI in ways that preserve the collaborative nature of tutoring while supporting ethical and effective student writing

Brainstorming · Focus group · Generative grammar · Higher education · Thematic analysis · Writing center · Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare and Education · Higher Education Practises and Engagement · Intelligent Tutoring Systems and Adaptive Learning