Mr. Hales' Letter
Chris Hales
Editor’s note: In response to our request to write an article on an AI-related topic of his choice, Milton Computer Science Faculty Member Mr Chris Hales submitted the following: his response to a newsletter Food For Thought, written by Ron Charles, a book critic at the Washington Post. The newsletter was about how a writer for the Chicago Sun-Times published a reading list that had books that did not exist. The article blamed this on the use of AI, a sentiment Mr Hales disagreed with.
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I deeply appreciate your insightful exploration of artificial intelligence’s complex impact on education and society. Your insights highlight key concerns, particularly the urgent need to safeguard critical thinking, creativity, and intellectual rigor among our students.
I share your skepticism regarding the unchallenged adoption of AI in classrooms. Indeed, AI’s potential to diminish essential cognitive activities such as wrestling with texts, crafting nuanced arguments, and synthesizing original ideas is undeniable. However, the issue isn’t simply AI itself but rather our approach to integrating this powerful tool into educational contexts.
Education’s ultimate aim must be to cultivate students’ determination, self agency, and ability to critically evaluate and create meaningful rubrics and frameworks. If students become adept at assessing the validity and efficacy of data, including that generated by AI, we empower them rather than diminish their intellectual faculties. I call these ‘brave new world skills,’ old skills that are even more important than they were before this age of AI and robots.
The executive order, ‘Advancing Artificial Intelligence Education For American Youth,’ advocating for early AI integration, is an acknowledgment of our critical juncture. Avoiding the conversation about how to meaningfully balance AI with human driven critical thought would only exacerbate the issue, widening inequalities rather than addressing them.
For example, giving a calculator to a student who is learning to add single digits would hinder learning. However, banning calculators from a K-12 education would also cause students to graduate less prepared for college and life. We should thoughtfully and intentionally integrate calculators into the classroom, and do the same with AI.
Furthermore, your comparison to physical training is apt; students must actively engage in cognitive ‘weight lifting,’ yet, AI does not inherently prevent this. We must intentionally create ‘AI deserts,’ where foundational skills such as close reading and clear, independent writing flourish, untouched by artificial shortcuts. Equally, we must develop areas where students thoughtfully engage with AI, learning how to leverage technology openly, ethically, and critically.
Moreover, your anecdote about AI generating the Sun-Times’ reading list highlights precisely why comprehensive AI education is necessary. The person who created the flawed list was educated in a pre ChatGPT world, underscoring the urgent need for all individuals, students and adults alike, to understand both the remarkable power and the inherent limitations of this technology. Listing unread or fabricated books is not the absence of critical thinking but rather reflects an abdication of responsibility stemming from insufficient AI literacy and lack of pride in one’s work.
Teaching young children, even kindergartners, to recognize that certain images and information they encounter may be fake or manipulated is a vital component of early AI education. Early education about AI’s power and potential pitfalls prepares children to navigate digital environments safely and thoughtfully. Perhaps by starting early, we can curb the propagation of misinformation while enhancing students’ ability to use AI thoughtfully and effectively.
Just as we are calling for AI literacy in students, we must also ensure that educators themselves are equipped with the knowledge and understanding to navigate and teach this evolving landscape. Without adequate professional development and ongoing education, even the most well-intentioned educators risk perpetuating misinformation, implementing AI in ways that are counterproductive or calling for complete abstinence when an AI desert is more educationally sound. If we want students to thrive in a world shaped by AI, we must invest in making sure their teachers are ready to guide them.