by Teyton M.

Recently, AI has been taking over what seems like everything. From AI videos to schoolwork and even more. As a 7th grader, I have seen AI being used poorly for schoolwork and also for good. One way AI has been helpful in school is by asking it to break down a question to get a better understanding of what’s being asked. It can be used poorly because you can receive all the answers to a test, homework, or an assignment. But is AI good or bad for students?

AI stands for Artificial Intelligence. It has been around since the 1950s, according to The Brief History of Artificial Intelligence. It started off with a simple remote-controlled mouse that was able to find its way out of a maze and remember the entire thing. This was called the Theseus. With AI improving each day and becoming more advanced, is this good or bad for students and their education?

Although AI has been extremely powerful in education, this does not mean students are always able to learn from it. Typically, when students are using AI, they will put in a simple statement into ChatGPT such as, “Answer this question for me” or “Fill out my homework for me.” The AI will give the student an answer, they copy it onto their assignment, and that’s an easy 100 for the student. “I think it’s really a game changer. I’ve talked to our teachers for about the past year about utilizing AI in the classrooms,” stated Dr. Guthrie, showing the utilization of AI across classrooms.

AI can be useful in school too. Just because a lot of people say AI is terrible for students doesn’t mean it’s true. “You can benefit from it now, especially if the teacher is able to guide you through the process,” stated Dr. Guthrie, the principal at AHJS. I find it beneficial, especially when I need help with a question I don’t understand. “You can create a whole written document and upload it into AI and ask for suggestions, and I think that’s an appropriate use of the tool,” stated Dr. Guthrie. This shows that AI can be efficient when asking for suggestions on how to improve a document.

However, this can push students back if they use AI incorrectly. “It is [not good for the students] if we don’t teach you how to use it right. It will push you back if you can’t use it right,” Dr. Guthrie stated. If you use it to cheat on assignments, then you can get in big trouble because teachers are usually able to tell if something is AI-generated or not. It won’t be your original work, which can cause you to fail.

Overall, AI can be beneficial for students, but it also can’t. It can be helpful by breaking down a question you don’t understand. However, it may not be beneficial when students use it to cheat on assignments or tests. AI has come a long way since the 1950s, and it will likely be able to help students even more in the near future.