In higher education, our goal is to foster resilience and critical thinking, yet we often soften our feedback to avoid discouraging students. This talk explores a counter-intuitive application of Generative AI: using it not as a tutor, but as a "ruthless critic." The psychological distance that makes students more receptive to AI feedback than human critique will be examined. By implementing a systematic "Critique-Response" assignment protocol, educators can teach students to separate their ego from their ideas, turning the AI into a sparring partner that exposes flaws in logic, research, and argumentation before a human ever sees the work.
