The use of Artificial Intelligence is affecting the education of students across the world each and every day as it evolves. Whether it’s being used as a helpful tool or as an easy answer provider. As of early 2026, 86 to 92 percent of college students are seen to incorporate AI into their studies. Whereas 84 percent of high school students are seen to use AI in their education.
A form was sent out anonymously to students of Anderson High School, questioning them on their opinions and thoughts regarding AI usage. The controversy was clear between their opinions. Some students believed that AI is a good tool for better learning, whereas others claimed that it is ruining the environment and humanity overall.
Teachers at schools across the nation are affected by the usage of AI, especially regarding plagiarism. English teacher at Anderson High School, Brittany Sylvia, expresses her experience with AI usage: “I see some use of AI on almost every single assignment.” Sylvia often finds herself using multiple AI checkers to determine whether students have plagiarized their work or not.
AI has been known to harm the critical thinking skills of students. With students solely relying on AI as a source, students use less of their own critical thinking. “If this is a task AI could do and ‘I don’t have to do it’, [students end up] putting it off onto AI. It’s leaving people without the ability to think things through on their own.” Sylvia gives her opinion on students’ critical thinking being denied “[Students] are not learning anything, they’re more concerned for the grade than learning the skill or material.”
Despite this, students and teachers may also use AI to their advantage. A student at Anderson High School, Kadeesh Bridgeman, explains his situation regarding AI usage. “To be honest, I use AI a lot. So I’m taking an online chemistry course for college chemistry. And my teacher isn’t physically there, nor there 24 hours a day, so I rely on my resources. I read the material, but sometimes I don’t understand it, so I ask AI to explain and give me examples.”
Bridgeman highlights his opinion on the benefits of AI, “[AI] could teach them in many different ways, like when a teacher can explain it in a way they can learn it. And it can make practice problems and practice tests to strengthen kids’ abilities.”
Sylvia also uses AI as a tool to help improve her teaching. She uses AI to help enhance her assignments and to save time when writing emails. Along with 85 percent of teachers across the nation as of the years 2024-2025, who have reported AI as a helpful tool to reduce their workload.
While some use it to their advantage, others deny AI entirely. Another student at Anderson High School, Joshua Tungate-Roblero, claims, “I believe AI is a terrible resource overall; it takes away from artists, nature, and independent thinking.”
Tungate-Roblero refuses to affiliate himself with AI, “I believe that the use of AI to replace human thinking is honestly dangerous, albeit there are certain exceptions. I believe that, as an artist, the use of generative AI specifically is inherently non-human, which is the core of all art. And lastly, I think that the more AI is used to promote ‘laziness’, if you will, is a gateway to a less intelligent and independent society.”
Overall, the controversy surrounding AI utility within schools continues throughout the nation. While some use it to their advantage, others may take advantage of it.
