By Justin Barger
Artificial Intelligence, or AI, is an extremely powerful tool, with its ability to answer questions on a countless number of topics. By containing so much knowledge, AI naturally began to play an impact on schools around the world, including in Irvington. Students have to manage the line between using AI as a resource and relying too much on AI. With both negatives and positives in the academic world, AI’s usage causes countless amounts of controversy.
Before choosing a side, it is important to note that, above all, AI should not be used to complete assignments or used to write complete essays. Using AI instead of completed work is a form of academic dishonesty and breaches the Irvington High School Code of Conduct.
Several students within Irvington are in favor of AI. AJ Sloyer (10) advocated for the usage of AI, mentioning how AI can “help me” when “I don’t know an answer”. AI has been proven as an extremely useful resource for studying for tests or quizzes. AI is able to generate practice questions specifically tendered to the needs of a student. On top of this, AI can be used to clear up confusion about an assignment or a question. When a teacher isn’t available, asking AI is a useful resource for quick questions and homework.
Despite its benefits, AI has blatant negatives. AI essentially removes the autonomy for students, essentially eliminating any original thinking or thought processes. Additionally, AI might not be able to provide the information that someone who is using it is trying to obtain or even in some cases be completely incorrect.
One study conducted by the University of Maryland found that AI can be wrong in several ways. The study mentioned that AI “can give the wrong answer” and “can omit information by mistake”. These mistakes by AI can be extremely misleading for students who are led to believe a certain statement is true, even if it is completely incorrect. If a student absorbs incorrect information, this can cause several issues down the line on tests or assignments.
The endless possibilities of questions and answers that can be obtained from AI are incredibly powerful and valuable. However, AI needs to be utilized in moderation, as overuse can result in the aforementioned negatives being multiplied and becoming tremendously consequential.
