AI In School

By: Ava Ehrlich 

Technology is always enhancing. Today, we have products like battery powered cars, new vaccines, and transportation systems that would not have been imaginable a few decades ago. But, one of the most important innovations that will forever impact our world is artificial intelligence (AI). 

Since the 20th century, engineers have been developing this powerful tool that allows the answer to almost any question or task with the mere click of a button. AI has become so trusted that it has inevitably reached the Niskayuna students. But, the question that so many ask is should AI be used in school?

Before AI, when a student came across a question that they didn't know, they most likely just put down an answer and hoped for the best. Now, with AI at their fingertips, students can simply type the question into some sort of program that will give them an answer, without even checking if it's correct. This brings about one of the main problems with AI: cheating. 

There is a difference between cheating and getting help. Some uses of AI cross this boundary through using AI resources incorrectly. Taking the answers and work from the AI tool is clear plagiarism, as you are considering the computers work as your own. 

Niskayuna High School teacher Mme. Martin, who is experienced with one of the most harmful forms of AI: Google Translate, says “If a student is using AI to produce work for the class, it is artificially produced and not using their own knowledge.”

On the other hand, AI can serve as a tool that helps someone after they have done the work required. For example, if a student has a research paper on William Shakespeare, the wrong way to use AI would be asking the program to “make a MLA formatted research paper on William Shakespeare.” However, an acceptable use of AI would be to, after completing the research yourself, ask AI to “put these already cited sources in alphabetical order.” This would not be a violation of plagiarism, as you have done all the work yourself, and are simply saving time.

Many teachers are open to using AI responsibly, while others are not so fond of it. This may be because a newer generation of teachers have been introduced early on to AI’s growing place in the classroom, while teachers with more experience prefer to stick to more conservative methods. Or, it could plainly be because each teacher has their own individual teaching style. But for whatever reason teachers are allowing this tool to be used, AI must always be used with caution and clear direction.

When using AI, many students don’t consider what ideas they are agreeing to support. “I believe it (AI) leads to a world which does not have to think for themselves,” says Mme. Martin. That “one” time you are using AI for a simple answer will not be the last. You will keep on going back to AI until you might even doubt your own knowledge on the simplest topics. Is that extra minute saved by using AI really worth giving up learning things that will come up again later?

With AI being as powerful and easy to access as it is today, it might be safest to just avoid AI altogether. Even if it makes some tasks easier, using AI doesn’t teach you valuable skills that have been used generations before us. So many have become so reliant on artificial intelligence, one could say robots are starting to “take over the world.”