Will there be a negative impact of artificial intelligence on students? While AI is certainly having a moment—one that’s not likely to disappear any time soon—the initial fears surrounding it are starting to die down as more people become informed of the many benefits of AI in schools.
A year ago, some school districts banned AI. But then those same districts quickly decided it would be better to learn how to work with AI than try to avoid it. Even though many districts across the country now use AI and are working to integrate it in the classroom, some fears have lingered. Here are 3 MORE fears about the negative impact of artificial intelligence on students and what you need to know.
1. Chatbots hallucinate. How’s it going to help my child learn if AI gets things wrong?
It’s true that AI doesn’t always get things right. CNET reports that chatbots hallucinate anywhere from 3% to 27% of the time. So, you have to be on your guard. Superintendent Kusum Sinha says that because AI doesn’t always have accurate information, “you may get some insights, but you still have to read, you still have to understand the topic that you are referring to. AI doesn’t replace people.” Teachers will need to navigate these issues and teach students how to view AI as a tool that needs to be cross-referenced and fact checked.
AI and learning will go increasingly hand in hand as the tech evolves and educators decide how best to integrate AI in the classroom. Because AI is now infiltrating everything from images to video and even audio recordings, it’s going to be crucial for our kids to learn to use the tech and engage with it as a critical thinker instead of just accept whatever it says as fact. If we don’t teach them to do this, there could be a negative impact of artificial intelligence on students.
2. Is AI going to replace teachers?
This fear stems from some misunderstandings about AI technology and its rapid growth. The reality is “AI is designed to augment, not replace, the role of educators,” says Samuel Mormando, Director of Technology, Innovation, and Online Learning at Garnet Valley School District. It’s a tool that helps teachers personalize learning, gives real-time feedback on student progress, and automates tasks to free up time for more interactive teaching.
Teachers do more than just impart information. Did you have a favorite teacher growing up? I bet it wasn’t her vast amount of knowledge you admired but the connection you felt with her. Teachers motivate and inspire students and they also teach empathy and morals, something AI cannot do. Human interaction in education is “irreplaceable,” says Mormando. When kids connect with a good teacher, they enjoy learning more and get more out of school. AI has the potential to assist with these possibilities.
3. Could AI harm my child?
Like the others, this is a legitimate concern. Its potential to hurt our kids is there when people are up to no good and have nefarious intentions or when kids use AI without having a good understanding of it.
As I discussed in this article on deepfakes, the potential is there for kids to hurt other kids using AI. Although schools have dealt with bullying issues long before AI, artificially-produced AI photos escalate the aggression. Teaching our kids how to use AI responsibly, and imparting our values at home, is the first step in preventing a case of aggression incited by our kids. But what if your child is the target? In that case, let’s hope the school takes swift action to prevent and discourage this sort of thing from happening again. But remember: creating deepfakes isn’t a school-sanctioned activity. AI in the learning environment will only be used to enhance academic learning. If kids (or adults, for that matter) want to produce deepfakes (or simply send provocative texts, which has been happening for years), they’ll find a way.
Whenever you give a kid a new toy or gadget, it’s smart to go over its uses with her first. Before you give a child a smartphone, you’ll probably put on safeguards and limit things like social media until she’s old enough or demonstrates responsibility to use it. Unfortunately, many teens today (and younger kids!) know more about tech than we do. And sometimes they get in over their heads. Before you allow your child to use ChatGPT or any other chatbot (Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, Copilot, etc.) be sure to go over rules and guidelines first. What’s your stance on creating and sending images? Look into privacy and security guide rails on your devices to ensure your kids’ data isn’t tracked by AI developers. Keeping all tech out of bedrooms and bathrooms might be another precaution you want to take.
Of course we want to keep our kids safe. Taking these initial steps to protect and educate them will be a good way to establish guidelines around AI going forward. But once they’re handy with these tools, make sure to continue to check in on them.
Sound off: What do you do to protect your kids from AI’s potential dangers?
Huddle up with your kids and ask, “What’s the coolest app you’ve ever heard of?”