AI is a power for good
Almost every major invention was once seen as a threat, from vaccines to the printing press and the internet. It seems like for this era, the feared invention is AI, especially its role in the education system. Some argue it makes students lazy or incompetent, and those concerns aren’t baseless. Like any powerful tool, AI can be misused. Students might take shortcuts, plagiarize, or spread misinformation. However, history has shown that tools are not solely threats but catalysts for growth. Just as past generations learned to adapt and thrive with new technology, our generation must do the same. If Pace chooses to ban AI, they risk repeating the mistakes of the past by resisting change instead of harnessing it.
For starters, AI transforms the way students learn by adapting lessons to their individual needs. Many students find the Pace curriculum challenging, and AI can break down concepts, offer explanations, and provide examples tailored to each learning style. “Pace should use AI because it could help elevate our learning instead of just using the traditional one-size-fits-all lesson. AI can adapt and change to fit each student’s needs, and everyone can grow at their own pace,” said junior Aznariah Bienne. With AI, students gain extra guidance beyond classroom teaching, helping them grasp ideas faster and more deeply.
Not only does AI enhance learning for individuals, but it also has the potential to make education more equitable. Some Pace students may lack access to extra resources, private tutors, or advanced technology at home. This imbalance hinders students who struggle with in-class teaching styles. However, AI can close this gap with its ability to personally assist. A student who might not afford a tutor could still receive detailed feedback, extra practice, or new approaches to solving problems through AI-powered tools. In this way, AI becomes a bridge toward equal opportunity, ensuring that success in education is not determined solely by privilege or background.
Beyond the classroom, AI also prepares students for the future, where technology will dominate. Many workplaces already increasingly rely on AI tools for data analysis, research, and problem-solving. Future careers will demand familiarity with these tools, and Pace students denied exposure risk falling behind. Banning AI may feel protective, but it limits students’ readiness for the future. Of course, preparing students for the future doesn’t just mean teaching technical skills. It also means teaching discernment: how to recognize misinformation, avoid overreliance, and use AI with integrity. In short, it is far better to learn how to utilize powerful tools wisely than to fear them.
Ultimately, AI should be seen as an academic tool rather than a threat. When students are taught to use it ethically, AI enhances learning, prepares them for the future, and provides support tailored to individual needs. But for this to happen, it is imperative that Pace teaches students how to properly use AI. “School is where students can and should learn how to use this new and powerful tool with deep understanding, wise discernment, and meaningful first-hand experience,” said history teacher Dr. Carter. Personally, I believe AI is not inherently good or bad; rather, it’s neutral and shaped by how humans choose to use it. By allowing AI at Pace, students are provided with opportunities to learn, grow, and prepare for the challenges of tomorrow. To ban AI is to hold back progress; to embrace it is to unlock innovation, equity, and success for every student.
The Rise of AI Limits Independent Learning
In November of 2022, OpenAI publicized its hit chatbot that caught the eyes of millions, ChatGPT. Since its introduction in 2022, ChatGPT, as well as other ever-growing AI platforms, have become an integral part of modern society, and recently an integral part of many schools and places of education. The implementation of AI in schools has sparked a lively debate among academics and students alike on whether or not AI has a place in the education system. As more and more experts share their opinions on AI and its effects, one message becomes clear: Pace Academy should ban AI for its students.
Artificial Intelligence offers a new source to students that gives them seemingly limitless possibilities of new information at their fingertips, but all this information comes at a cost. AI sources are not always the most reliable, as they often adapt their response based on the context of the question asked, and often don’t perceive the question properly. The responses from AI sources like ChatGPT are likely to change because these tools are constantly learning. In turn, AI can spread false information, which is extremely dangerous in schools. In fact, a study from Purdue University found that around 52% of responses from ChatGPT contain inaccurate information. In a place of learning, the spread of misinformation directly undermines the establishment’s goals.
Not only does AI pose short-term problems in schools, such as spreading misinformation and assisting cheating, but it also poses many long-term problems for brain stimulation and development. Recent studies from a collaborative research project by MIT show that students who wrote essays with the assistance of AI exhibit much less brain activity during the task, which makes memory recall on the subject more difficult in the future. Those who wrote their essays without the use of AI had a much easier time remembering the information they studied and wrote. An increased use of AI in schools might suggest a lessening reliance on memorization and a stronger need among students for assistance in writing realms where assistance was not necessary before.
Pace Academy History teacher, Mrs. Lawrence, shared that while she doesn’t believe AI should be banned at Pace, “Students don’t know how to use the tool properly, effectively, or ethically enough for the tools to be deemed beneficial. To implement proper usage of AI at Pace, students would need proper training with AI,” said Mrs. Lawrence. Lawrence also added that she understands many of the benefits of AI and does not want them to go unrecognized.
While the benefits of AI are numerous in theory, what’s important to note is that high school students are not yet responsible enough to understand the capabilities of AI properly. “I feel like when I use AI to review material before an assessment, it’s not always accurate, and because of that, I’ve decided to stop using it as much,” said sophomore Emma Alvarez. So, although it is optimistic to believe in all the good AI has to offer, it is not yet fit to be a constant in high school classrooms as it limits independent learning, making students more dependent on outside resources instead of learning material themselves, and many of its benefits are not implemented properly.