Letter to the Editor AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) can be considered a hot topic for many. Mylee Hobbs, writer of the open letter “Cascade’s New AI policy,” speaks on AI usage in an educational setting: “Cascade’s new AI policy represents a step towards balancing the innovative potential of technology with the need to preserve academic integrity, critical thinking, and personal growth for students.” From personal experience, having regulations on AI is essential to someone, while using it to understand the problem and provide step-by-step instructions can help a student understand the studied material. Some peers will use it to write essays, while others use it to find sources. It is essential to have AI regulations in an education setting but to not ban it. As students Micah Wilder said , “I think AI is helpful for

summarizing information, gathering more details, checking grammar, and completing work faster.”(qtd. In Hobbs). As negative as AI can be, it can provide positive growth in students. The education system in Cascade High School hold regulations towards the use of AI. The argument presented by Hobbs should be upheld in education settings, as AI can be used both as a tool towards academic understanding and abused, causing a stop in academic growth and critical thinking.  

AI can help many students understand difficult topics from personal experience, AI has helped understand difficult problems in calculus by explaining and providing step-by-step instructions on how to solve it. This use of AI can be beneficial in an educational setting. Professors can be bosy, or material was too difficult to understand in the moment. Some universities have even implemented them in their courses. “Northeastern [University] embraces the use of (AI) to enhance all aspects of it’s teaching, research and operation “ says Northeastern Vice President of communications, Renata Ngul (qtd.in Klenm). These regulations should continue to be upheld in educational setting as to not stop critical thinking nor personal opinions. This further supports Hobbs argument of holding AI regulations in an educational setting. Despite it’s positive use, others are worried about it’s exploitation.  

As helpful as AI can be, it can also bring negative impacts on students. A college student on social media platforms, X , spoke about his personal experience with AI saying , “ ...As a student, I see around 80% of my classmates using AI for all kinds of assignments.” He goes on to argue that professors are not able to tell if it was made by AI. This not only negatively impact college students own thinking but affects those in the real world. People wouldn’t know if their medical doctor or surgeon really provided effort to pass the class, or used AI to pass their exams and get their degrees. It would be highly unethical to use AI in this way, which provides more reason on why strict regulations need to be up held. Graduates in science and research, Brian Kennedy and Elieen Yam, conducted research on how Americans, specifically graduates and undergrads felt on the topic: Half of U.S adults say the increased use of AI in daily life makes them feel more concerned than exited. Concerns of AI are brought forth by the misuse of it. Having a strict regulation would help ease concerns about the topic. The solution is not to ban it, but to control and regulate it.  

The positive and negative use of AI can be seen as reason to fear and ban it. However from personal experience and outside sources, help provide an opposing view:  to regulate AI. Hobbs argument is one that should be argued upon and implemented. Regulation at Cascade High School need to be made, or everyone need to understand how useful AI can be, as well as dangerous. 

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