When people hear the words Artificial Intelligence, there are many mixed views. Some people believe that AI has an overall beneficial impact on the world and makes millions of people’s lives easier every day, while others believe that AI is incredibly harmful and damaging to the world we live in.

So what is AI? While there is no one single definition for AI due to its extensive abilities and tasks, NASA has provided the best definition they can. They state that, “Artificial intelligence refers to computer systems that can perform complex tasks normally done by human-reasoning, decision making, creating, etc.” Artificial intelligence is designed to learn and act like a human.

But how does this affect the youth? As AI has become more and more common and accessible in schools it has led teachers and administrators to question how to navigate it. It has become less about how to stop it and more about how to manage it. 

Students using AI to cheat has become a reality that  many educators around the world are experiencing. While not every student uses AI to cheat in school, it is still unfair to the students who submit authentic work. While using AI to cheat may feel like an easy way to get things done, all it is doing is harming a student’s ability to learn. Students might learn to rely on AI for all of the answers instead of retaining information in their brains. 

While using AI is a quick and easy way to get answers to any question you may have, it is only as good as the data and program that made it. You never know when an answer that you get is wrong and in believing those things, it spreads inaccurate information around. 

When it comes to students, academics aren’t the only thing affected by AI. AI art is becoming increasingly popular. Programs that allow people to input a description of whatever image they are looking, saving time from having to draw or commission art. AI generated art takes away from the hard work real artists do every day, as well as making students feel as though their passions aren’t worth pursuing. 

While AI can be a useful tool for people to use, it affects the jobs of thousands of people every day. So many jobs, including artists, are at risk of being replaced by artificial intelligence. Learning to rely on Ai as a constant instead of using it as a tool can lead to diminished critical thinking skills. 

Whether or not AI is incredibly beneficial and useful for millions of people, it has many different dangers when used recklessly.