AI is in our lives, and everybody says it’s forever.

I don’t know what’s going to develop with AI in the future. Frankly, I’m not sure I want to think about it!

But AI is with us, it’s undeniable, and it’s not going away anytime soon.

How should AI be used in homeschooling, or in education in general? Is it detrimental to our kids’ education, or is it helpful?

People have vastly different opinions on AI. Some are mistrustful, some absolutely LOVE it.
I’m naturally more of the suspicious, mistrustful mindset, but I have to admit that I’m coming around a bit.

AI is a helpful learning tool when used in the right way. But ONLY when it’s used in the right way.

First, let’s look at some parameters on how NOT to use or rely on AI. Then we’ll explore how we can use it productively.

You can’t be sure AI-generated information is factually correct. 

The key problem with using AI as an information gathering tool is that you can’t know for sure that the information is correct. Part of an AI output may be right, and then part of it may not be.

We don’t know where AI pulls its information from. There are an infinite number of websites on the internet, but as we all know, many of them aren’t reliable or credible sources of information. (By the way, we offer training on identifying credible online sources in our Research Paper Rockstar course.)

AI is helpful for generating general ideas and suggestions, like sample travel itineraries or content ideas for a writing project. But our kids need to use their own research and critical thinking skills to verify that information. They need to seek credible sources to find answers that are specific and based in proven fact and find reliable evidence to support a conclusion.

You have to fact-check any information you get from AI if you’re going to use that information in a school assignment, a work project, or anything else you put your name on.

Don’t ask AI for an opinion! It’s not a human being. 

This may be obvious, but don’t let your kids rely on AI for daily life questions, like what to wear or what to do over the weekend.

AI lacks real time social knowledge. It doesn’t know things like budgets, personal tastes or weather changes. AI suggestions tend to be generic and possibly based on old data.

During his study abroad semester earlier this year, one of my son’s housemates would ask AI where to travel for the upcoming weekend, and the results were usually disastrous.

He couldn’t get his head around the fact that AI wasn’t exactly a source for good advice.

AI shouldn’t be used to complete homework or practice exercises.

The purpose of homework is to practice a new skill or concept in order to accomplish two things:

1) gain a deeper understanding of a new learning and its nuances, and
2) be successful on a test or project that requires correct application of that learning.

Using AI to complete the homework would be detrimental to those two goals, and it would impede your kids’ learning. That being said, homework should always have a clear purpose, and NEVER be pointless busywork, ever.

My brother-in-law, a former college math professor, had many students who used AI to complete their homework during the semester. When it was time to take the exam, you can predict the outcome. (Not good.)

Your child has to practice an instrument, a language, or a sport to get good at it, right? Our kids can’t learn how to do something if someone or something else does the work for them.

Do NOT rely on AI for critical thinking or problem solving. 

AI doesn’t always analyze information correctly. You have to rely on yourself or another knowledgeable human for the best right answers.

With very specific, carefully thought through prompting, an AI application can be directed to create a kind of template or do a simple data analysis. In this way, AI can you save time.

But the person doing the prompting needs to be able to quickly review the AI output and determine if it’s correct. If that person isn’t able to make that determination, they need to do the work themselves and develop their own skill and knowledge. This goes for using AI in any subject area: math, writing, science, you name it.

When working on solving a complex problem, human beings need to depend on themselves to learn and get familiar with all the aspects of that problem. Humans find creative solutions to difficult problems. People need to sit with the information and gain a deep understanding of the nuances surrounding the issue. AI can serve as a general research tool, but it can’t do your creative critical thinking for you.

AI CAN be a learning tool, or even a “study buddy.” 

When you finish a piece of work and want someone to look it over for you, why not have AI check it? For example, if a friend or family member isn’t available to review your writing for grammar errors, or if you need to check the answers to your math problems, use AI.

That’s not cheating!

AI might be able to help you come up with practice exercises too, if you’re preparing for a big test. When purely brainstorming on a subject, AI can come up with some ideas to explore.

AI can be a learning tool. It can come up with a lot of general information on a subject, and it can save you some time in certain situations.

But don’t let AI do your thinking for you, ever.

Lily Iatridis is the founder of Writing Rockstars, an online writing program that prepares teens for college level writing.