Teen Perspectives on AI: A Mix of Friend and Foe
In today’s digital age, teenagers are growing up with technologies like ChatGPT, and their opinions on artificial intelligence (AI) are as diverse as their personalities. While some see it as a helpful companion, others worry about its implications for learning and jobs.
Charles Ansevin, a 15-year-old from Gates Mills, Ohio, describes ChatGPT as a companion, saying, “We’ve been able to have very meaningful, you know, intelligent discussions.”
On the other hand, 16-year-old Dorian Prado from Fort Worth, Texas, expresses strong resistance to AI. “It makes it to where thinking is optional, and that should never be the case,” he argues. “You don’t think, you don’t learn. It’s making us dumber.”
The emergence of generative AI has ignited heated discussions about its role in education. Amidst these debates, NPR asked seven teenagers how AI impacts their learning experiences.
Tessa Klein, 18, from Oradell, N.J., appreciates AI’s ability to provide feedback on essays and help with complex science concepts. “I think it’s just this opportunity to have sort of like a private tutor that maybe other students cannot have or cannot afford,” she notes.
However, Dammie’on McColley, an 18-year-old from Indianapolis, is concerned about AI’s broader impact. “I don’t want it to, you know, kind of throw off jobs and things like that. That’s [people’s] only way of bringing in income to feed their families. And if we have a machinery that’s taking over that, then what are they going to do?”
NPR also gathered insights from Ethan Ansevin of Gates Mills, Rida Desai of River Edge, N.J., and Natalie Vadakkan of Oradell, N.J. Click the audio link above to hear their thoughts.
This reporting was supported by the Omidyar Network’s Reporters in Residence program.
Edited by: Nicole Cohen
Audio story produced by: Lauren Migaki and Janet Woojeong Lee
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