AI tools are killing students’ critical thinking. It’s time to fight back

The data, both empirical and intuitive, could not be more clear: Generic, direct-answer and productivity AI platforms, most notably OpenAI’s ChatGPT, are dumbing down an entire generation of students, eroding critical thinking skills, and atrophying the muscle that is such a core component of what makes us human.

And yet, universities and K-12 institutions are agreeing to substantial deals and partnerships with generic AI platforms, such as ChatGPT EDU, to bring these destructive tools into their classrooms, encouraging their use among the student body even as the correlation between usage of current AI tools and critical thinking shows devastating negative effects. Reading competencies are down for the fourth straight year and 50% of students admit to using ChatGPT for a quiz, test or essay.

We’ve all had some version of the same conversation about COVID’s effects on students. Many lost an entire year or more and were just passed through to the next grade level. It was a disastrous effect for students who were already behind the curve. In effect, direct answer generation AI tools are creating a “COVID 2.0’” generation of students who won’t lose just one year but a significant portion of their educational experience. Their development and personal agency is diminishing every day by using AI as a tool for shortcuts and cheating.

It’s Worse than you Think

There’s a reason we don’t allow children to drive a car before a certain age. There’s a level of responsibility society has determined is necessary to drive a powerful machine. AI is a powerful machine but we’re handing our children the keys to a Mustang GPT with no training and no protections. Predictably, it’s not going well.

You may be wondering why a founder of an edtech AI platform is critical of AI in education. To be clear, I know that AI can have an immensely positive impact on education. I know that AI can act as a force-multiplier for teachers and it can open up a world of knowledge and inspiration for every student, everywhere.

AI can do all of these things but not the way we’re currently using it. Not with generic AI platforms like ChatGPT that simply give students the answers.

AI makes things substantially easier, and that’s amazing. I use AI, including ChatGPT, consistently every day and it makes me and my team 10x more productive. I’ve seen some amazing things, like a 6-year-old building a functioning app using AI, and so many others releasing a massive amount of creativity. But we cannot teach children that life is as easy as sticking in a prompt and waiting for an output, there will always be hard problems that require critical thinking and a lack of tools.

As a recent student, I have seen the outsized role this technology plays in our day-to-day lives, the immense ramifications of irresponsible integration, and that the situation is far worse than even the media is portraying it right now.

Let me repeat that: the situation is far worse than even the media is portraying it right now. Seemingly every headline regarding AI in education highlights the devastating impacts and, for maybe the first time in history, the media is actually downplaying the ramifications.

A friend and recent graduate told me that he hasn’t typed an assignment in two years; he’s simply copied and pasted from ChatGPT every single time. He just graduated from a top-tier university and is wholly unprepared for the workforce. Have an issue? Oh ill just ChatGPT it, no how, no why. This is the norm now, it’s not an outlier.

As 96% of teachers acknowledge AI is the future of education, change must be made today or this and subsequent generations of students will continue to see their critical thinking, literacy, attention spans, and ability to contribute to the workforce severely degraded. This change must begin with an acknowledgement by the wider educational and technology communities: generic productivity AI platforms, like ChatGPT, are not a solution to integrating AI into classrooms.

There is Hope, if We Act. Right. Now.

Every school needs to make a simple declaration today: they will not use platforms that do not focus on ethical and responsible use of AI for studying and learning. This means tools like ChatGPT, which allow for direct answer generation, have no place in our educational system.

The promotion of purpose-built AI learning platforms that don’t give students the answer will provide schools and teachers, regardless of their bandwidth, with a foundation to take confident steps forward and create a better future for students.

Tech Leaders and Educators Must Work Together to Establish Guidelines

The education establishment is in a tough spot right now. They know they need to implement AI solutions into their classrooms to prepare students for the workforce of the future, but the leadership often doesn’t see alternatives to generic tools like ChatGPT. Universities are eager to remain competitive and educators on every level want to give their students the best chance to succeed in the AI world.

We have to start with a set of core principals that we all agree is in the best interests of our students and in the best interests of society:

1. Responsible AI edtech companies must work hand-in-hand with educators at every level to develop and enhance AI platforms built for true learning.
2. Generic direct answer generation AI tools, like ChatGPT, have no place in the classroom.
3. AI must be used as a tool for learning, not shortcuts and cheating.
4. AI will never replace teachers. AI is a tool to help teachers, to save them time and free them up to focus on their students.
5. Any AI tool introduced to classrooms must be designed to promote responsible studying and true learning.

This is a list that will grow and evolve over time, but we have to start somewhere.

Tomorrow is Too Late

We have an opportunity right now, today, to act. We’re already seeing the devastating effects of ChatGPT on our students and the worst side effects won’t even show up for years to come. We have a chance to change course and realize all of the amazing things AI can bring to our students but only if we act now.

It’s time to introduce responsible AI use to every student, everywhere, including productivity tips, prompt strategies, collaborative tutors, and true workforce prep for the AI world.

AI can have such a positive impact on education. It can help us realize true equality of opportunity for every student who wants to succeed.

The time to act is now. There are alternatives. There is a better way and a better future.

If we don’t act soon, we risk lobotomizing an entire generation and making them completely dependent on AI systems to do everything for them; but maybe that’s what some want . . .

Let’s get to work.