“AI’s going to take over the world.”
“We’re losing our ability to think.”
“That’s technically cheating.”
These are just a few of the many responses I’ve gotten at the mere mention of using AI — artificial intelligence — for a specific task.
Whether it’s a simple yes-or-no question or a further explanation of an AP U.S. History concept, it seems as though anytime I decide to use ChatGPT, I get shamed for using something I pay for and use sparingly.
The constant berating by a peer or condescending opinions about AI by adults who can’t tell that the videos they’re always cracking up about on Instagram Reels are actually AI-generated gets old very fast.
No matter whether people like it or not, AI is a rapidly expanding industry that needs to be more accepted, especially in schools.
In fact, the AI industry is projected to grow by 40-55% annually and reach $1 trillion by 2027, according to the Harvard Business School.
So, if the growth of AI is inevitable, why make it out to be such a bad thing instead of finding ways to use it for the greater good?
No, I’m not saying that students should use AI to cheat on their Spanish test or complete their daily math worksheets, but there are ways that it can be helpful and, in some cases, truly beneficial.
One of the major benefits of AI is a tailored, personalized learning experience at a low cost.
With the help of pattern recognition algorithms, AI chatbots are specifically designed to support users by providing immediate, easily accessible answers to students in need of help.
Not only has this been proven to reduce stress levels by providing timely assistance and simplifying tasks, but AI algorithms, particularly ChatGPT, have also helped make school workloads much more manageable, therebyimproving student motivation, according to the National Library of Medicine.
Not only has this been proven to reduce stress levels by providing timely assistance and simplifying tasks, but AI algorithms, particularly ChatGPT, have also helped make school workloads much more manageable, thereby improving student motivation.
With an after-school nannying job, ACT lessons and what feels like a jam-packed school schedule, spending hours on a few math questions can easily take hours out of my desperately needed sleep.
So, if I have to ask my AI chatbot for a further explanation for a concept I don't understand, what's the harm?
Of course, there will be students who abuse and overuse AI's capabilities, but the same can be said of many of the world's dominant industries, like social media.
AI doesn't have to take critical thinking away; instead, it can help students not just get the correct answers but also provide a meaningful step-by-step process for getting them.
If students, with teachers' help and guidance, can learn to use AI with integrity, then schools should use it as a tool rather than view it as an unnecessary evil.
I’ve never and will never believe in AI as a replacement for learning, but if the public education system as a whole can teach students about AI’s useful benefits, I wholeheartedly believe it can help improve our daily lives.
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