Metaphors are a form of abstraction of a particular model of reality, which is usually more complex and complicated. However, through metaphors, a person - a student - can get hold of complex phenomena and work with them. This abstraction is, at the same time, a form of cognitive shortcut, which always departs from specific details and characteristics of the phenomenon and, at the same time, can provide new insights into it. These insights can be inspiring but also misleading and simplistic. The study uses data from university students reflecting on their perceptions of what AI means to them and how they think about it. The study identifies four fundamental metaphors representing a student structuring of the AI phenomenon and offering specific educational strategies: Enkidu, Politics before the elections, Goddess Gaia and Extensions of the cognition.