Back to pens and paper: a reason we don’t need AI in the classroom

With the recent announcement that students at Springfield will be given access to Gemini and Gemini Notebook, it had me thinking: Why is promoting artificial intelligence a positive thing? Education in the United States has felt like it’s been in a tornado the last few years, and the integration of artificial intelligence into the classroom won’t change that.

As someone who stands against artificial intelligence in most capacities, I was disappointed when I realized that AI inside the classroom was something that I wouldn’t be able to avoid this school year. It is my view that by granting AI tools to students, we are actively harming their ability to process and more importantly, retain information. 

While my grievances with AI extend far beyond the classroom, I try to always allow myself to see the other side of the argument. AI can be of great assistance when it comes to creating a study guide, or designing a presentation, but how much is it really helping the student? I have long been taught that the easiest way to truly understand and retain information is by taking the notes myself, and creating my own study tools. Does that apply to every student? No, not necessarily, but I find it difficult to believe that asking an AI chat bot to create a study guide is the right solution either. Chat bots like ChatGPT are frequently incorrect in the information they give to the user, so why create that risk in the first place?

As a part of a broader argument, when CEOs of AI companies are coming together and telling us that there is an alarmingly high chance of AI ending humanity, I don’t think I’m crazy for not wanting that type of technology inside the classroom. In this situation I think the cons far outweigh the pros. Of course there have been these same arguments in the past, “the internet is going to ruin the classroom”, and to some degree it has, but AI is far different. As it grows increasingly more intelligent and gets “stronger”, who’s to say that it won’t utilize that same technology to harm students using it? 

Earlier this year, Canva faced a major cyberattack that left students scrambling just days before their spring exams. What happens when it’s not an outside cyberattack, but rather the chatbot itself? These are the types of worries I have, given what we see in the news nearly every day about “incidents” involving artificial intelligence.

Instead of trying to implement AI, when there are increasing warning signs about the risks it poses to students, I would rather advocate for the classic, pen and paper. Starting this year, I have had multiple professors switch to a technology free classroom, and frankly, I’m all for it. Believe me, that is an opinion that is certainly not in the majority of what students want, but I believe that the long term risks are simply too high in this day and age. Proper note taking is the right way to go if you ask me. 

As we look ahead into what the future holds for artificial intelligence, education, and the students’ well being, I can’t help but worry that we are simply going down the wrong path. As for myself, I will continue to utilize the same tools that helped me get to where I am today, and I implore other students to do the same.