It’s undeniable that artificial intelligence, or AI, technologies are advancing and integrating into our everyday lives, its use and presence in school impossible to ignore. While AI presents some benefits, its use in schools raises several concerns. Both students and teachers are likely to lose more than they gain with AI in and out of classrooms.
One of the most important concerns is its potential to stunt student’s critical thinking and creativity. AI tools like ChatGPT, homework helpers and even AI tutors give students a false sense of understanding a topic, even though they can’t figure the problems out themselves. Many students rely too heavily on AI for perfect answers and miss out on the opportunities to fail and grow through learning.
Senior Brooke Shellenberger commented on how she thinks AI negatively affects students.
“I think [AI] takes away from creativity and free thinking and I think that’s an important thing that we can learn to do in high school. We have a really good environment at State High to learn to do that, but AI takes away from that,” Shellenberger said.“[AI] just takes creativity out of the classroom and makes it more generic.”
Not only is AI a threat to students, but it also takes away from the hard work that teachers do to give students the necessary material. When students cheat using AI, it can make teachers feel redundant and undervalued. According to a global survey conducted in 2024, 86% of students use AI to help with their schoolwork. While AI can assist with grading, it can’t replace teachers’ understanding for students, emotional support and creating a learning environment for students that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.
Junior Lily Solensky talked about how she thinks AI negatively impacts teachers.
“I think it can make it really difficult for a teacher to be able to differentiate what work as a student and what’s more like an AI program going through,” Solensky said. “AI is really an easy way around getting that big ‘what if’ idea that you’re trying to pull out so it can really be difficult to separate the student from the technology they used.”
Recently, an email was sent out that announced the Pennsylvania School Board’s new policy that is taking effect: the State College Area School District’s Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence in Education Policy. The policy was put in place to ensure that AI tools are being used responsibly and ethically. It requires that all AI use is only from “District-authorized Generative AI tools and resources” in schools and programs.
Sophomore Anna Christopher talked about her thoughts on the new policy.
“I mean, I don’t really think students are going to pay attention to that,” Christopher said. “I think they’re just going to kind of use whatever they want to use. But I do appreciate that [the board] is like acknowledging the problem and not just kind of ignoring it.”
While AI technologies continue to advance, their integration into schools show challenges that can’t be overlooked. Relying on AI can hurt students’ critical thinking and creativity, leading to a lessened learning experience. The impact on teachers’ roles shows the need for responsible use of AI, which is being addressed in the recent policy changes.
