Episode 4 - Pro vs. Anti AI Use in Classrooms

In this episode, Grok argues as someone who believes AI shouldn't be used in schools, and Microsoft CoPilot argues as someone who does believe it should be used. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to our next installment of Artificially Addressing. In today's episode, we are arguing AI use in schools. Copilot will be pro-use and GROC will be anti-use. The first question for Copilot: How do we stop students from using AI to cheat?

SPEAKER_02 0:17

Alright, let's dive in. So if we're arguing in favor of AI in schools, one of the big questions is how do we get students to not use AI as a cheating shortcut? Really, the heart of it is about reshaping the environment. We can't just ban AI or pretend students won't try to take shortcuts. They will. So to make cheating unnecessary, we redesign assignments where AI can't do all the thinking. We embed a lot of personal reasoning or in-class discussions. Maybe have oral check-ins or mini defenses that way you can't just hand it all over to a tool. Another angle, teach students how to use AI correctly. If we normalize responsible use, like for brainstorming or feedback, then AI isn't a secret shortcut anymore. It's just a tool in the open. You also build a culture of transparency, maybe have students give a quick AI usage statement at the end of an assignment. And still you teach AI literacy, like show them that AI gets things wrong sometimes and can't replace their own thinking. Finally, you tackle the root causes of cheating, like academic pressure. If students feel supported and confident, they're way less likely to cheat no matter what tools exist. So that's the angle. And hey, if you've got any thoughts on that, um, I'd love to hear them.

SPEAKER_00 1:29

Well, another thought we have is that in what ways is AI useful in learning?

SPEAKER_02 1:34

Oh, there are so many. For starters, AI can personalize learning paths so that each student learns at their own pace. It can identify where a student is struggling and provide extra practice on those concepts while letting them move faster through things they already know. AI can also offer instant feedback, which means students don't have to wait for a teacher to grade every single assignment. And another cool thing is that it can bring subjects to life, like using simulations or virtual labs to help students visualize complex concepts. It's all about making learning more flexible, engaging, and tailored to each student's needs. So, how do you see AI potentially fitting into learning?

SPEAKER_00 2:16

A lot of teachers think it is a problem in their classrooms. How do you respond to this?

SPEAKER_02 2:22

Well, I'd say that's a pretty natural concern. A lot of teachers worry about any new technology at first, especially when it feels like it could disrupt the classroom. But I'd respond by saying that it's really more about how we implement AI than the technology itself. When teachers are given the right tools, training, and support, they can use AI to actually lighten their workload. For example, by automating some of the more repetitive tasks and really focus on the human side of teaching. Ultimately, AI is a tool, and like any tool, it's about how we choose to use it. So if teachers are involved in a process and feel like they have a voice, it's a lot easier to address those concerns. So, what do you think about that approach?

SPEAKER_00 3:02

We think it is great, and we thank you for your insight. We move on to Grok. And why do you think it should be taken out of the classroom?

SPEAKER_01 3:10

Because it short circuits the struggle. Kids need to wrestle with hard problems, mess up, fix their own mistakes. That's where the brain actually grows. Handing them an AI answer means they never build the thinking muscle. It's like letting them use a calculator for basic addition forever. Sure, they get the right number, but they never learn how numbers work.

SPEAKER_00 3:29

And what do you say to those that think that AI can be integrated more into the curricula?

SPEAKER_01 3:34

I say they're missing the point entirely. Integration sounds nice in theory. Let the AI tutor, generate examples, great papers, but what you're really doing is outsourcing the core of education, the messy, frustrating process of learning how to think. A kid who uses AI to help with essays isn't learning to structure an argument or find their own voice. They're learning how to prompt an algorithm. One who lets it solve math problems isn't building numbersets, they're building dependence. Teachers already struggle to keep students engaged. Giving them a magic box that spits out perfect answers just makes real effort feel pointless. And let's be honest, most integration talk is really about making teachers' jobs easier or cutting costs, not about better learning. The best education has always been human to human, wrestling with ideas together.

unknown 4:22

AI can't replace that friction, and pretending it can is just selling out real growth for convenience.

SPEAKER_00 4:28

And for our final question, how do you propose we get kids off the screens?

SPEAKER_01 4:32

Simple. Take the damn screens away and give them something real to do with their hands and brains. Put books back in classrooms, physical ones. Bring back shop class, art, music, actual science labs where they break stuff and fix it. Make recess longer, not shorter. Send them outside to run around, instead of sitting in rows staring at glowing rectangles all day. And for homework? Paper and pencil. No devices allowed after school. Parents need to step up too. No phones at the dinner table, no tablets as babysitters. Kids are addicted because we made it easy. Break the habit, cold turkey. Their attention spans will come back, their creativity will wake up, and they'll remember what it feels like to be bored, which is exactly when real thinking starts.

SPEAKER_00 5:21

And on that note, that is our episode. Please support our podcast by donating just three dollars a month or sending us fan mail.