OPINION: A.l. gets a bad rap.

By Emmy McGill

Many teachers at River expressed that they were worried about the validity of the work submitted by students when it was first released. Since then, most teachers have started using platforms that evaluate written work for use of AI. Many view it simply as a way to cheat, but AI gets a bad rap. 

You have an immense amount of power in your pocket that was once only imagined in Sci-Fi novels. On the other hand, if we look at AI as a tool, not a cheat, we can see many ways to use it advantageously. AI can be used to brainstorm ideas and edit work, instead of creating it. Many teachers have found this helpful for students, so they use platforms like Magic AI, which allows them to restrict and monitor AI use. 

I greatly encourage all students at River to take advantage of the tool to enhance your learning, not limit it. 

However, AI is not just limited to chatbots - most of AI is ‘hidden.” Wearable fitness trackers, security cameras, playlist and product recommendations, and email services that separate important mail from spam are all very common uses of AI, and most people don’t even know about them! The National University of California estimates that around 77% of digital devices use a form of AI. It is everywhere, and it’s only growing. When you think about everything AI is used in, do you use it? The answer is probably yes.