It was well past midnight as I stared at a blank Google Doc, facing a looming history essay deadline. My notes were disorganized, and I was exhausted. In the past, overcoming this would require sheer determination. However, now ChatGPT offers an immediate solution, providing an essay in seconds. Why struggle at all? At my private high school in Chicago, from which I recently graduated, AI wasn’t just appealing; it was ingrained.
Regardless of the subject, my classmates used AI tools for everything, including English essays, math problems, and Spanish translations. Some even used it for quick answers during online quizzes. This wasn’t limited to struggling students; high-achievers used it too. AI has become our default, but this reliance could be detrimental in the long run.
A common phrase in the cafeteria was, “Just ask ChatGPT.” It was our solution to every problem. In English class, a friend boasted about not writing an essay since sophomore year, instead feeding prompts to AI, refining the output, and submitting it. “It’s like having someone do it for you,” he said. In math, students used AI to solve equations and get step-by-step solutions to demonstrate their work. Before a science final, a friend shared a ChatGPT-generated study guide with terms, flashcards, and practice questions. In Spanish, students bypassed learning translations by using AI translators for homework, saying, “It’s faster and never wrong.”
The most unsettling part? We felt no guilt.
I, too, relied on AI extensively, finding it a lifesaver that helped me produce good work without stress or late nights. However, my learning suffered. While I received good grades, I couldn’t explain the concepts in class. Many friends faced the same issue. One admitted he couldn’t summarize a book section because AI had written his analysis. Another confessed to freezing during math tests without AI’s assistance. AI has taught my generation how to perform, but not how to learn, which is alarming.
We attend school to understand the world and develop our thinking skills. But with AI, nothing is challenging. Why struggle with a problem when ChatGPT can solve it? A friend aspiring to be an engineer depends on AI for all math assignments, promising to learn it all in college. But what if he can’t function without AI? It seems we graduated with impressive transcripts but diminished thinking abilities. I fear starting a job and being unable to analyze problems or write reports independently.
There’s also an ethical consideration. When we use ChatGPT to write essays, we know it isn’t our original work, even if we edit it. We know we’re cheating, even if undetected.
I wonder if schools should ban AI entirely, relying solely on our own minds. However, AI bans haven’t been consistently effective. When [some entity] banned it, they [action taken] just months later. Regardless, AI is here to stay, and ignoring it won’t teach us responsible usage.
Instead, schools should consider implementing strict rules. For assignments that assess critical thinking, like essays, projects, and debates, AI should be prohibited. Teachers could create prompts based on personal experiences that AI can’t replicate, or impose penalties if AI detection tools flag suspicious work. For tasks like research or math practice, AI could serve as a starting point, but not complete the entire task.
More importantly, schools must educate students about AI’s risks. AI [action related to errors] and exposes us to plagiarism consequences. We need to understand that while it might facilitate college admission, AI will leave us unprepared for future careers and life in general.
Limiting AI will likely make school more challenging, potentially requiring me to work on college essays at 2 a.m. However, education extends beyond grades; we need it to become individuals capable of independent thought, creation, and problem-solving. No algorithm can achieve that for us.
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