As artificial intelligence and technology become a daily part of school and home life, students and teachers are left asking whether AI and technology have enhanced or diminished our ability to think for ourselves.
By: Ayane Rivello
From help with homework to navigation apps, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and technology are shaping how students learn, solve problems, and think on their own. While many students and teachers see it as a powerful learning tool, others worry it’s weakening independence, creativity, and confidence in our own thinking.
Zoey Lovegren, ’28, explains how she uses AI to better understand concepts as a tool: “It helps me understand things in a way where I can ask it questions, and it gives helpful responses.” However, she also noted that “Many people have relied too much on AI for their school assignments and not for their own understanding.”
Lovegren added that while AI can help explain ideas, it can also “be used as a tool to cheat.”
Teachers are noticing similar patterns in the classroom. Mrs. Laufer said the convenience of AI and technology has significantly lowered confidence in independent thinking, not just for students, but for adults as well. “Our confidence has gone down in general, and AI is making it worse.”
Laufer compared AI reliance to constant use of navigation apps, stating that “People are so dependent on that kind of technology that they’re afraid to even drive across town without it, that dependence carries over into learning.”
Laufer explained that having instant access to answers can actually make students second-guess themselves more. “The rare time I’ve given students an open-book test, the test scores were worse,” she said. “They kept rechecking themselves and still weren’t sure.”
“Right now, technology is almost working in the opposite direction of creativity.”
Mrs. Laufer
Some teachers are attempting to reduce AI’s influence by limiting technology use altogether. Mrs. Vieira states she rarely uses computers in her classroom as they present an opportunity to cheat. “I try to limit technology use as much as possible [to] remove opportunities for students to use AI.”
Vieira believes students should think critically about how they use AI. “If it’s supporting how you’re understanding something, that’s responsible use,” she said. “But if it’s bypassing thinking, then that’s clearly cheating.”
Laufer also stressed the importance of awareness and boundaries, especially as AI becomes more immersive and addictive. “People need to understand what the pitfalls and advantages are,” she says.
Ayane Rivello
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