Weaker ideas
When AI does the brainstorming, our own ideas never get the chance to grow stronger.
An interactive essay · College English
Positives and Negatives of Artificial Intelligence for Students
AI can answer almost any assignment in seconds. But is it helping students become better writers, or is it slowly weakening our ability to write on our own?
4 sections
Interactive activities
Cited sources
Seconds to minutesHow fast AI can produce an answer
Helping or hurting?The question at the center of this essay
Introduction
AI has become a tool used by almost every student
Artificial intelligence has become extremely popular over the years and has become a tool used by almost every student in today's world. Whether someone is writing an essay, improving a sentence, or just trying to complete homework, AI can provide the answer within seconds to minutes.
Programs like ChatGPT have completely changed the way students approach writing assignments. Instead of spending hours brainstorming their own ideas and putting their thoughts on a piece of paper, students can now type anything into a computer and receive an entire response almost instantly.
Writing an essay
InstantImproving a sentence
SecondsCompleting homework
MinutesGetting an entire response
Almost instantlyWhile this technology is extremely helpful for students, it raises a very important question we should all be aware of:
“Is artificial intelligence actually helping us become better writers, or is it slowly damaging our ability to write on our own?”
Thesis
A good learning tool, but only within limits
I believe AI can be a good learning tool for everyone, but depending on it too much can make our ideas weaker and leave us with less creativity, less critical thinking, and less ability to communicate with teachers without assistance.
Less creativity
Writing loses the personal touch that makes every student's voice unique.
Less critical thinking
Skipping the hard steps of writing means skipping the thinking behind them.
Less independent communication
Students lose practice communicating with teachers on their own, without assistance.
Background
How student writing has changed
Switch between the two views to compare how students worked before AI and how they work now.
Before AI: the long way
Before AI became popular and widely available, students had to rely more heavily on their textbooks, their own knowledge, their teachers, and online research to complete assignments.
- Writing essays required a lot of brainstorming and thought.
- Students worked through ideas, drafts, and corrections to their papers.
- The process could be frustrating, but it built personal skills that made students academically stronger.
With AI: the instant way
In today's world, AI can complete these tasks instantly. This has created a debate among educators and students about whether artificial intelligence should be encouraged in classrooms or limited to protect students' ability to learn.
Encourage itAI as a learning support that gives feedback and ideas.
Limit itProtect the skills students build by doing the work themselves.
Explore the essay
Four parts, one balanced argument
Work through each section in order, or jump to the part you need.
Benefits of AI
How AI helps students who struggle with writing, and what the research says.
Read benefitsDisadvantages
Dependence, lost skills, and writing that stops sounding personal.
Read disadvantagesThe Arguments
Both sides of the debate, grade pressure, and a "Tool or Crutch?" activity.
Weigh the argumentsConclusion
Final thoughts, a self-check before using AI, and Works Cited.
Read conclusionTool or crutch? Test yourself.
Sort real study habits into "helpful tool" or "harmful crutch" and see how your choices compare with the essay's argument.