Photo Courtesy of Jennifer Ding (ARTS MANAGER)

Luna Lu ‘27

REPORTER

Nowadays, in the halls of most high schools in the US, AIs like ChatGPT can be found completing essays and answering questions. In recent years, Artificial Intelligence (AI), defined as “the science and engineering of making intelligent machines” by scientist John McCarthy in 1955, has seen an uptick in use—especially in schools by students. However, within schools, AI isn’t just used by students to complete homework, but also teachers to detect AI written assignments.

Although AI has been used in education for upwards of sixty years, recent innovations in the field have propelled the technology to an entirely new realm. What used to be simple chatbots and educational computer programs now present themselves as virtual assistants like Siri and complex generative programs such as ChatGPT. As AI’s function has grown to include writing essays, solving math equations, and everything in between, it has become a major concern for many people that worry about AI’s long-term implications—especially school teachers.

However, while it may seem like most teachers are completely against AI in schools, many of them can see both the benefits and drawbacks of using the technology in their classrooms. To better understand the impact of AI in classrooms, several teachers shared their thoughts on the issue.

Ms. Braunlein, a Chemistry and Forensic Science teacher, expressed her mixed opinion on the topic. “I think there are a lot of really practical ways that students can use AI. My hesitation in using it would be that I think sometimes it does make it easier for students to cheat and plagiarize,” she said.

History teacher Mr. Stafford shared similar concerns, believing that although AI has the potential to become an effective learning tool, reliability remains his biggest concern. He also worries that students will lose essential skills if they abuse their usage of AI. “If used the wrong way, students can kind of fall into this world where they're letting AI think for them while not really understanding the material themselves, which I think is a dangerous road to go down,” Mr. Stafford remarked.

Spanish teacher Profe. Castro mirrors Mr. Stafford’s concerns, adding on to his worry that AI could weaken students’ neurocognitive functions.

“I feel that AI is here to support us, but if students start to rely entirely on what it’s generating, then there can be serious implications for their cognitive skills,” she noted.

Looking to the future, Profe. Castro added, “AI is here to stay. It will not disappear, so we have to adjust to it and learn more about it.”

Artificial intelligence is no small invention, and using AI responsibly is key to preparing ourselves for a future where technology and critical thinking skills can exist harmoniously.