Whenever people talk about students using AI for school, the conversation usually turns negative. People assume students are using it to cheat or avoid doing their work. While I know that happens, I don’t think it’s the whole story. As someone who has grown up in a world where technology changes almost every year, I believe AI should be treated like any other educational tool. The goal shouldn’t be to ban it. The goal should be to teach students how to use it responsibly.
I don’t think AI should do our thinking for us. If a student copies an entire essay from ChatGPT and turns it in as their own, they aren’t learning anything. School is supposed to help us develop the ability to think critically, solve problems, and communicate our own ideas. No computer can replace that, but AI can help us get there.
I’ve found that AI is most useful when I’m confused about something. Sometimes a textbook explains an idea in a way that just doesn’t make sense to me. Asking AI to explain it differently or give another example can be the difference between feeling completely lost and finally understanding the lesson. In that way, AI feels less like someone doing my homework and more like having a tutor available whenever I need one. UNESCO’s Guidance for Generative AI in Education and Research supports using AI as a learning aid when it is used responsibly and under appropriate educational guidance. This was especially relevant for me during my junior year of high school when I was struggling to learn a topic in pre-calculus the way my teacher taught us. By engaging with AI, I was able to learn the subject in an alternative manner which made more sense to me.
AI can be a useful tool in many other facets of learning. AI can create flashcards for test preparation, it can generate additional practice equations in math and AI can help a student organize for long-term projects. Some students are using AI to read text aloud if they absorb information better this way. Research in cognitive psychology and education consistently shows that students generally learn and retain information better when material is presented in manageable chunks rather than as one long, uninterrupted block of text. AI is a perfect tool to help students transfer large monolithic texts into digestible chunks. The opportunities to engage AI to supplement learning are endless.
People often compare AI to calculators, and I think that’s a fair comparison. Years ago, calculators were considered a shortcut that would ruin math education. Today, we still learn how math works before we’re allowed to rely on calculators for more advanced problems. The same thing should happen with AI. Students should first learn the material and then use AI to strengthen their understanding, not to replace it.
I also think we have to be honest about the world we’re entering. According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, AI literacy and analytical thinking are among the skills employers increasingly value. AI is already changing careers in business, medicine, engineering, law, and countless other fields. By the time my classmates and I graduate from college, we’ll probably be expected to know how to work alongside AI every day. If schools ignore that reality, they’re preparing students for a world that no longer exists.
That doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be rules. There absolutely should be. Students should never submit AI-generated work as their own, and teachers should design assignments that encourage original thinking. Brainstorming should not initially incorporate AI. Maybe AI can help with checking grammar or explaining difficult concepts, but students should still be responsible for developing their own opinions and supporting them with evidence. Research on how people learn shows that students retain information better when they actively practice recalling and applying concepts instead of simply receiving answers. The thinking should always belong to the student. I find the more I think and the more detailed a prompt I use with AI, the better and more specific the responses I get when working with AI.
Another reason we need to be careful is that AI isn’t perfect. It can make mistakes or confidently provide incorrect information. That’s why students should always double-check facts using reliable sources. Learning to question information instead of accepting it automatically is an important skill, whether that information comes from AI, social media, or even a textbook.
I don’t think the answer is to ban AI from classrooms. History has shown that schools eventually adapt to new technology instead of fighting it. The internet, laptops, and calculators all changed education. AI is simply the next step. Instead of pretending it doesn’t exist, schools should teach students how to use it ethically and intelligently.
At the end of the day, education isn’t about finding the fastest way to finish an assignment. It’s about becoming someone who can think independently, solve problems, and continue learning throughout life. AI can support those goals, but only if we remember that it’s a tool, not a replacement for our own minds.
If we use AI to avoid thinking, we lose something valuable. But if we use it to ask better questions, understand difficult ideas, and improve our work, then it becomes one of the best learning resources available. I don’t want AI to think for me. I want it to help me become a better thinker. I believe that’s what future education should aim for.
The National Youth Rights Association
If you’re interested in Youth Rights, consider volunteering with us. We are always looking for new members and would love to have you on board. If you have a personal story to share about a youth rights violation, consider sending us an email at nyra@youthrights.org. We’d love to help get your story out to the world.
The text of AI in the Classroom: Why We Should Learn With It, Not From It © 2026 by Sabrina Zaken is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
