re: What is your opinion on kids using AI to write papers, letters, etc.?

I'm glad to see that Microsoft copilot ad about Sydney McLaughlin Lavrone and a kid fan getting blowback.
The premise ..if you havet turned on the TV in a month..is a dad VO asking for assistance to help his little girl write a letter to SML telling the trackstar that his daughter is her biggest fan

First time I saw it, I thought who wants a sterile AI generated fan letter ....especially from a kid

The endearing part is the actual time and effort taken to make the letter

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What is your opinion on kids using AI to write papers, letters, etc.?

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In my classes, I specifically spell out my rules regarding generative AI in my syllabi, when they can use it, and how. For projects that require a report, I tell them they can use it for anything. However, they have to be able to speak to it and understand what they write/turn in. I always have a presentation attached to it, so I pepper them with in-depth questions to make sure they actually took it to heart and understand the work they were given and the work they turned in. Their grade will go up or down depending on how the presentation goes.

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I just used it to make some emails grammatically correct, and sound more professional/appealing. It has a place in the world. Saved me time.

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I kind of do the same when I have to write business emails in German. My German is ok, but not on a business level. I first write my best German by myself. Then I use AI to make sure it sounds business appropriate. I use it as a tool and use it less and less the more I learn the proper grammar. It saves a lot of time.

On one hand, I understand that AI can make life easier by automating tasks, especially those that are time-consuming or repetitive. But where do we draw the line? In the case of writing a fan letter, isn’t there value in the process itself—like teaching kids how to express their thoughts, how to structure a letter, and even how to deal with the challenge of writing something meaningful?

By outsourcing these tasks to AI, we risk more than just losing a personal touch; we risk diminishing our own skills. If children grow up relying on AI for everything from writing letters to doing homework, are we not setting them up for a future where they lack basic skills? There’s a fine line between using AI as a tool and becoming overly dependent on it.

On the flip side, AI can be a fantastic educational resource when used appropriately. It can offer assistance when someone is stuck, provide inspiration, or even teach new skills through interactive experiences. But I think it's crucial that we don't allow it to replace fundamental learning experiences.

In the long run, our overreliance on technology could lead to a decline in critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving abilities. These are the very skills that technology should be enhancing, not replacing. So while AI has its place, it’s important that we use it as a complement to human effort, not a substitute for it.

What do you all think? Are we becoming too dependent on AI, or is it just the natural progression of technology in our lives?

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It's a Google AI commercial, and the dad asked the AI to write a fan letter for his daughter to send to her favorite athlete. Instead of the dad teaching his kid to write

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I couldn't believe this either. Commercial is so tone deaf....why should kids ever have to learn anything if they can just have Alexa tell them or AI create it for them?

I chat gpt the frick out of some emails. They get blown away when I walk into their office and hit em with a “hey pods what’s happening”