New Delhi: Artificial intelligence has been rapidly entering our school classrooms, whether it is being used to solve complex problems, write an essay or get feedback. In our modern era, AI is significant in our lives as it can support our learning or complete our learning. Some may argue that AI is made to be an assistant in our daily lives, especially in our learning, but I personally believe that AI is being converted from being an assistant to being a shortcut.
To begin with, I acknowledge that AI was invented to be an assistant. AI helps students clarify their doubts about the topic, gives a better understanding, saves time, makes learning more accessible and gives practice questions. However, AI is now being used as a shortcut as students are overusing and misusing it. Instead of clarifying their doubts, they started letting AI complete their assignments. Instead of making learning more accessible, AI made learning easy.
As for me, AI in classrooms is mostly a shortcut. First of all, students just avoid thinking. They do not think about the content or the context of what they are learning. They just use AI to complete their assignments. Students can no longer think critically because they now lack the habit of thinking for themselves and problem-solving.
Secondly, students now are more dependent on AI as a shortcut, which lets them rely on it to complete assignments, or solve problems, instead of being engaged with the content themselves. This increasing dependency on AI reduces their ability to think independently, limits their creativity, and prevents them from fully understanding what they are learning.
There are problems with AI being a shortcut too.
If AI were being used as an assistant, it would show originality and creativity. But the usage of AI in classrooms is reduced to just generating answers. Plus, if the students keep relying on AI for their learning, they will struggle in real-life situations where independent thinking is required. Over time, this dependency can lead to weakening essential skills like decision-making, problem-solving, and analytical skills. From what I have observed, students who rely only on AI find it difficult to explain concepts on the spot. This shows that AI can provide fast and direct solutions, but it does not ensure correct and real understanding, which does not fulfil the purpose of education.
To prevent these problems, there could be some solutions that can help students in their studies. Schools should guide students on how they should be using AI, or they could be strict about AI, eliminating its use in classrooms.
Classrooms can include more opinion-based assignments to prevent the use of AI, or there could be more in-class assignments, which prevent the misuse of AI. The rest is the responsibility of the students themselves, as they should be the ones who should use AI for help, not for answers.
If this dependence on AI continues, it not only impacts the students’ academic performance but their future too. It is important that AI should be used responsibly. Make it an assistant, so it enhances education rather than replacing the whole learning process.
Vivaan Bhutani is a student of Genesis Global School. Views are personal.