In November of 2022, the world saw the rise of more accessible, consumer-friendly Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools that revolutionized the world. These tools offer 24/7 assistance including instant feedback on writing and study help, which can be especially helpful for students. Teachers, however, commonly object to students’ use of AI on schoolwork, viewing the tool as plagiarism. Many schools have even banned the use of AI entirely because of these concerns.

Rather than banning AI, educators should teach students how to use it responsibly to enhance their learning, critical thinking and creativity. Besides, the world is becoming increasingly AI dependent. Schools that fail to integrate AI risk inadequately preparing students for their futures. Afterall, the world is changing rapidly. By the time current MHS students move into adulthood, it will likely look very different.

If MHS faculty continue to view AI as ‘dangerous’ or something students ‘should never use,’ they will risk depriving students of necessary skills and experience for their future.

“When not using tools available, you are already behind,” states Rosy Catanach, a Director of Product Management at Google. As an individual who has witnessed the development of AI fisthand, she agrees that AI should fit into education. For example, Catanach believes that “high schoolers should be able to use AI” in English classes to “proofread their writing,” as they could in the real world.

“I’ve used AI to make practice tests,” mentions Eli Blumberg (‘28). “I feed it my study guide and it gives me relevant questions. It’s really helpful when I am studying for a test.” Blumbergs’ use of AI to make practice tests is one of the many ways a student could use AI responsibly. Catanach put how to responsibly use AI best, “it’s like a hammer don’t abuse the tool—use it to build things, not to hit someone in the head.”

Teachers don’t want students to become overly-reliant on AI. The solution, however, is not to avoid these tools entirely—it’s to assign tasks that AI cannot easily complete. As Catanach emphasizes, “high schoolers still need to be able to think critically for themselves,” while AI can support learning, it’s not a substitute for the unique problem-solving abilities and creativity that students develop in a classroom setting.

Right now, the focus in schools is teaching students how to prepare for the rest of high school. The real focus should be on how to prepare students for life beyond high school.

Embracing AI is not about replacing traditional learning, it’s about adapting and upgrading it.