The Rise of AI in Classrooms by Lillyana Gubler

Today we bring you another essay in our Dispatches from Boulder City High School series. This series is published throughout the school year and features writing by students at Boulder City High School.

The Rise of AI in Classrooms
By: Lillyana Gubler

The classroom is no longer limited to textbooks, teachers, and pencils. Now, artificial intelligence (AI) has taken a seat at the desk. The big question is whether AI hurts or helps classrooms and students. According to College Board, 84% of U.S. high school students reported using generative AI for schoolwork by the end of the 2024–25 school year. That's a little more than four out of every five students.

AI has its pros and cons, but do the cons outweigh the pros? Teachers across the country have reported that students have turned in work AI has done for them instead of using it as a tool to help them. With students turning in work that is AI, there are bigger consequences besides risking a zero. Students lose creativity, writing skills, and the ability to problem solve which stretches far beyond a single grade. There are also increased reports of students gaining a dependence on AI which has encouraged them to cheat and not think for themselves. While AI is still a struggling concept, you are risking more than just a grade in your classes, you are risking your creativity, independence, and problem solving skills.

When used appropriately, AI can be a great resource for research projects, creating practice questions, and giving explanations to students who are confused. AI is efficient if you are trying to find facts or statistics about a certain topic. According to College Board, 58% of teachers say AI can help students understand complex concepts through personalized explanations. The more you use AI, it adjusts to your personality and interests with the more information you give it. According to Brookings Journalism, research on AI-powered tutoring has found learning gains, increased engagement and motivation, and improved efficiency when the technology is designed around sound teaching practices. AI has helped students across the country improve their grades, and engagement through the tutoring AI can offer students who are struggling.

Artificial intelligence is not going away, so the goal should not be to keep it out of the classroom, but to teach students how to use it responsibly. AI can make learning more accessible, explain difficult concepts, and give students extra support when they need it. However, when students allow AI to do the work for them, they risk losing important skills like creativity, independence, writing, and problem solving. Ultimately, AI is only as helpful as the person using it. When used as a tool rather than a shortcut, AI can help students learn more without taking away what makes learning meaningful.