A new critique argues that AI didn’t create higher education’s core problems—it exposed the “credential trap,” where students and institutions increasingly treat degrees as economic outputs rather than learning outcomes. The analysis ties rising tuition, credential inflation, labor-market anxiety, and generative AI disruption to a shift toward extrinsic motivation. It cites Self-Determination Theory research associated with Edward L. Deci and Richard M. Ryan and references studies that link intrinsic motivation to stronger academic engagement and persistence. It also points to a 2024 study titled “Here to Learn or Just Earn,” asserting that students driven by intrinsic goals show higher confidence and engagement. The piece argues that addressing academic integrity may require more than policing cheating—institutions must restore intrinsic value to learning in systems increasingly optimized for credential signaling.