“Chatbot Hype or Harm? Teens Push to Broaden A.I. Literacy”

We love this article from the NY Times highlighting students’ push for AI literacy in their school. This article echoes so much of what we see when working with students on AI ethics and literacy.

For those who run into the paywall, here are the key points:

✅ What are they hearing from adults/teachers?

Students feel like they are getting a lot of mixed messages. Teachers warn against using AI for cheating and som school districts are banning or blocking AI Chatbots. Meanwhile tech leaders and the news cycles between AI’s incredible potential for good and harm.

✅ How are students using AI?

At River Dell High in New Jersey, students in the Human Rights Club – supported by their teachers and administration - conducted an anonymous school-wide survey on AI, revealing students' curiosity and desire for ethical guidelines on AI use.

Less than 10% reported using ChatGPT for plagiarism.

✅What do students want?

“I think kids need to be able to critique it and assess it and use it” said one senior. They are urging their school to provide more balanced AI learning experiences not rooted in either fear or hype.

We couldn’t agree more with these students and applaud the efforts at River Dell and the many schools across the country embracing a practical, holistic, and collaborative approach to building AI literacy.