Artificial intelligence promises a future enriched by efficiency and ingenuity, but recently, this technology has been widely debated because of its ability to complete and replicate people’s work. Whether students use artificial intelligence to complete assignments or for brainstorming, they have increased their reliance on it. Many believe it conflicts with their ability to learn, while others think it is a positive advancement in technology.
Artificial intelligence may sound like a new term, but it existed for decades. According to the ZDNET, “It’s been around since the 1950s, and its definition has been modified over decades of research and technological advancements.” After many advancements in AI since it was first created, artificial intelligence has advanced to the level of human intellect, and some systems are even able to reason and think like humans. So, if AI has been around for over 70 years, why do students now have such an increased dependence on it?
Many factors cause students to have a heavier reliance on artificial intelligence than before. One of the many reasons is that AI is more accessible than ever. Students are tempted to use it because many artificial intelligence tools, like ChatGPT, are free to use and easy to navigate. “AI is so easy to use since all you have to do is type in your question. I think that many students don’t realize the consequences that come with using AI, especially in school,” B-CC junior Raquel Lovinger said.
As classes in high school ramp up, students are increasingly attracted to AI. Ezra Goldscher, a student at B-CC, said, “I’ve used AI for many different projects and work to mainly help form ideas.”
With AI being gradually incorporated into students’ lives, teachers have had to be more cautious when grading assignments, making sure that the work is completed with absolute integrity and originality. Mr. Louis, an English teacher at B-CC said, “I did catch somebody using AI this year. Basically, what I told the student is the first time I catch you using AI I give them a warning because my students are in the IB program. The second time I contact the parents and let the IB coordinator know, because there is an honesty policy that students have to adhere to.” Students are aware of these consequences: “It’s getting harder to use AI because of originality checks and other ways teachers check if AI was used,” Goldsher said.
AI proves that technology will always be advancing. It’s important to be able to adapt and learn, especially for teachers. “I’m more concerned with how I can adapt to make sure that students are still engaged in the content in a very substantive way,” Mr. Louis said. “As educators, we need to go ahead and tailor the way we teach and take advantage of the technology instead of fighting against that.”
One thing is clear: artificial intelligence isn’t going anywhere. “AI will definitely continue to be a big part in school for me,” Goldsher said. “It’s been gaining a lot of popularity and it will continue to do so.”
