Parenting and AI: From Enemy to Ally

Welcome Parents!

When you hear the words AI, what do you think of? Perhaps the first thing that comes to mind is popular portrayals of it in the media, such as The Terminator or Black Mirror. Stories of AI, that were once fiction but seem to have become our reality. Artificial intelligence has advanced past our imaginations, it is no longer a fictional story of a futuristic ideal... or dystopian nightmare, depending on who you ask. It is rapidly being integrated into our society, and with that has come the irresponsible use of this tool. You may have heard stories of people using AI to plagiarize their essays, using AI deepfakes for revenge pornography, or artists having their work used by AI without their consent. This tool can seem like it has done more harm to society than good, and we understand your uncertainty about AI and exposing your child to it.

This uncertainty may lead you to believe that for your child to be well-rounded and accomplished in their academic and professional lives, and to keep them away from the harm AI has caused, limiting their use of it is the best course of action. However, whether we like it or not, AI is here to stay. You use AI every day, even if you do not know. When your texts are autocorrected or you search for something on Google, you are using AI programming, did you know that? Shocking! We do not perceive those things as being Artificial Intelligence in the same way as ChatGPT or SOPHIA the AI robot, but they are. Because of how deeply ingrained it has become in everyday life, the reality is, to be an active part of society, it is difficult to avoid it all together no matter how hard we try. We can either move forward with society and learn how to use AI to our advantage and learn how to responsibly and ethically use it, or we can reject it and be left behind.

We implore you to keep an open mind, as we explore how despite popular narratives, AI is not something to fear, and if used wisely, is a tool that can enhance and complement your child's learning.

AI versus Humans

AI is often mythologized, and made to seem infallible. Though the term intelligence may be in Artificial Intelligence, it is not actually intelligent. At least not in the same way that we as humans are intelligent. Intelligence is adaptation. AI's knowledge base all comes from the work of humans, it cannot create something entirely new. It cannot go against its programming. Your child is inherently more intelligent than AI because they are not limited by programming. They have a capacity for creativity and innovation that AI will never have. AI will never replace human intelligence, and it can make mistakes just like us, but it does have strengths in areas that humans require a lot of energy and effort to do. The AI technology we create is nothing without human innovation, and instead of it being our enemy, it can be our ally, our partner, to complement us where we fall short.

Misconceptions about the "intelligence" in AI

For further reading on this topic:

There is No A.I. (Lanier, 2023): https://www.newyorker.com/science/annals-of-artificial-intelligence/there-is-no-ai

Children, Creativity, and the Real Key to Intelligence (Gopnik, 2022): https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/children-creativity-intelligence

AI as a job skill

With how AI is developing and being rapidly adopted into everyday life, including work life, knowing how to use it is becoming one of the most important job skills of the 21st Century. Knowing how to work with it, rather than against it, is essential. In some ways, it is an art. To know how to speak to it and the prompts to give it to generate the response you are seeking comes from experience with interacting with it. Mastering prompt writing may be a skill necessary for many jobs in the future.

Learning to use AI wisely

Michael grew up in an AI-free household. His parents were wary of AI, believing that it is a dangerous technology, and though it may not yet control humans in the "robots taking over the world" type of way, it controls us in other ways. They believe that people have become too dependent on AI, and if their child started using it, he would become lazy and his learning would be stunted. Michael grew up believing this to be true, as he had no reason to question his parents' decision. However, he experienced a big culture shock when he went off to college...and everyone was using AI?

Watch the video below to learn more about Michael's story.

AI tools for Students

We have demonstrated for you some ways that students can responsibly and ethically use AI tools to save time, enhance their learning, and optimize their work.

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CanvaAI Image Generator: Sometimes school projects require the integration of graphics and images, but not everyone has the artistic level, graphic design skills, or time for creating them. CanvaAI can create an image for students, based on a description they provide of their vision, with different art styles they can chose from.

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ChatGPT: Brainstorming ideas for projects and titles can be time-consuming, and with students' schedules, that waste of time would be better spent on their projects to ensure quality work. With ChatGPT, they can ask for ideas, and use those suggestions as a starting point to inspire their work.

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Quizlet Q-Chat: Studying and finding techniques to study requires a plan, but with Quizlet Q-chat, this AI tool can act as a tutor and teach students about any topic they choose, quiz them on it, and give them questions to answer that allow them to apply the knowledge they have learned.

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Quizlet Study Tools: Students can also use Quizlet AI to turn their class notes into flashcards, study guides, and practice sets. Making these study tools can take a lot of time, but they are all active studying habits that allow students to better learn the content. Quizlet makes that process easier.

Try it out for yourself!

ChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com/

Canva AI Image Generator: https://www.canva.com/ai-image-generator

Quizlet: https://quizlet.com

Quizlet Q-chat: https://quizlet.com/qchat

SlidesGPT: https://slidesgpt.com/

Grammarly: https://www.grammarly.com/

Meet the Authors!

Jami Higa

Hello! My name is Jami Higa and I'm a junior majoring in Early Childhood Education and also in the teacher licensure program here at Pacific University! Throughout this project it has taught me that AI isn't all bad and that there are benefits that AI has to offer with the right resources :)

Layla Obeidi

Hi! my name is Layla Obeidi, I am a senior majoring in Psychology at Pacific University. Through developing this project, I have had the opportunity to understand how AI can be used to complement us in education spaces and our professional lives, and I aim to apply this knowledge in my learning and future career.

Megan Pileri

Hi! My name is Megan Pileri and I'm a junior majoring in Psychology and double-minoring in Anthropology and Communication Sciences & Disorders at Pacific! This project has provided insight that fights against the popular media's negative portrayal of AI, and allowed me to see the benefits that we can all take from AI tools!

Daria Tsybina

Hello! My name is Daria Tsybina and I am a junior majoring in Psychology. This class has provided a new perspective for me about AI; it has changed my thinking and biases. Through this project I not only learned fundamental aspects of human intelligence but also the importance of sharing correct psychological content online.

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