Some students, like economics major Emmanuel Gutierrez, were pulled to the event by the clear branding and recognizing people waiting in line. Gutierrez said he uses AI such as Claude Code, Grok AI and Gemini frequently as an aide for his schoolwork.<\/p>\n
As AI evolves rapidly, he believes the next generation will need to learn how to use it properly and ethically.<\/p>\n
\u201cAI is basically what you give it, so give it something critical,\u201d Gutierrez said. \u201cWith critical thinking, you\u2019ll get critical responses, something that can help you. I think what we can do is teach the next generation to learn how to prompt and learn how to talk to AI, and not let it take over their minds.\u201d<\/p>\n
The California State University system, and specifically SDSU, have strived to become leaders in AI literacy over the last few years.<\/p>\n The CSU announced its AI Initiative last February, touting itself as the \u201cNation\u2019s First and Largest AI-Empowered University System.\u201d<\/p>\n CSU Chancellor Mildred Garcia wrote<\/a> that the move would position the CSU as a \u201cglobal leader\u201d in the adoption of AI, and \u201chelp provide the highly educated workforce that will drive California\u2019s future AI-driven economy.\u201d<\/p>\n SDSU launched the Academic Applications of AI Micro-Credential<\/a> in 2024, which has since amassed over 10,300 faculty and student participants. The Daily Aztec also reported on SDSU\u2019s new AI and human responsibility bachelor\u2019s degree<\/a>, which launched this fall.<\/p>\n Integrated marketing communications major Landon Cuny worked the Gemini pop-up as a student ambassador after being reached out to by a recruiter on LinkedIn. He said he uses Gemini Notebook as an AI study tool.<\/p>\n With AI\u2019s growing prevalence in the workforce, Cuny said it\u2019s important to learn how to use it now rather than later. He said that AI works as \u201cwhat you put into it is what you get out of it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re using it to cheat, obviously you\u2019re gonna worsen yourself, and that\u2019s not the way to go about it,\u201d he said. \u201cIf you use it as a thought partner and as a tool, it\u2019s really powerful. I think it\u2019s honestly having a library at your fingertips.\u201d<\/p>\n In some of his marketing classes, Cuny said that his teachers encourage the use of AI as a tool, but remind students not to use it to be creative for them. He said that teaching about ethical AI use is more effective than banning it altogether.<\/p>\n \u201cThe university should set guidelines, because when you put a ban on AI or using AI completely, it encourages students to do it more to really break that rule,\u201d he said. \u201cYou know that their students are still going home and going to use it anyway. It\u2019s about permitting what\u2019s right and what\u2019s wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n Last fall<\/a>, The Daily Aztec spoke with President Adela de la Torre on the university\u2019s eagerness to implement AI. She acknowledged that cheating using AI is inevitable, and pointed back to the AI micro-credential.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s be realistic. In any campus this size, you\u2019re gonna have cheating,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n On Sept. 21, the same day of Gemini\u2019s arrival on campus, de la Torre\u2019s office sent SDSU\u2019s annual generative AI survey.<\/p>\n The university positioned SDSU AI Student Fellows next to the Gemini pop-up and they answered students\u2019 questions about AI while\u00a0 promoting the university\u2019s AI micro-credential and annual survey.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was a tangible benefit to SDSU: we leveraged industry interest and student excitement around AI to strengthen engagement with SDSU\u2019s own AI initiatives, expand participation in our listening efforts, and ensure student voices help shape what comes next,\u201d a university spokesperson said about the pop-up and SDSU\u2019s survey.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/DSC01042-2-600x400.jpg\")
Emmanuel Gutierrez, a third-year economics major, looks into the free duffel bag given to participants of the Google Gemini pop-up, San Diego State University, San Diego, Calif., Monday, Sept. 21. (Roman Fong<\/a>)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/DSC01057-600x400.jpg\")
Third-year Landon Cuny speaks with other students waiting in line as a Google Gemini student ambassador, San Diego State University, San Diego, Calif., Monday, Sept. 21. (Roman Fong<\/a>)<\/p>\n
![\"DSC01009-2\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/DSC01009-2-1200x800.jpg\")