Why AI in education is damaging Gen Z's individualism
Today may be a day of celebration as top GCSE grades have risen, yet I can’t help but question the future of these exams due to the growing dominance of AI in the educational sector. How many of these students used ChatGPT to assist with their studies and to help them revise?
Concerningly, many teens are relying on AI’s assistance in all areas of their lives, including homework, writing essays or even giving relationship advice, which studies reveal has long-term cognitive consequences.
Everyone is aware of the perks of AI, particularly Gen Z. Ofcom has found that this year the number of 8-17 year olds using AI tools has risen to 50%, and ChatGPT is the 5th most visited website globally. As an A Level student, I witnessed countless students using ChatGPT to generate essay plans, write model paragraphs, and summarise texts they don’t want to read. Many teens praise ChatGPT for replacing the tediousness of reading journals, books and endlessly scrolling on Google to find information. Posts on social media show that people are even using ChatGPT for life advice, one TikTok user claimed “ChatGPT is my therapist and also my new bf”, another said “my ChatGPT is a better friend to dish tea with than any friend I’ve ever had”. Yet such novelties are overshadowing the damage of over-reliance on a single source of information.
Studies have shown that such usage suppresses individual thought and critical thinking skills; traits necessary to navigate the world of disinformation and expanding dictatorships. The information provided by ChatGPT is simply accepted as the truth, eroding away academic curiosity and diversity of views. In a comparative study of students who used ChatGPT, Google search engines and nothing, MIT found that ChatGPT users had the lowest brain engagement and “consistently underperformed at neural, linguistic and behavioural levels”.
In the same study, teachers commented that the AI generated essays are “soulless”, lacking the creative flair that so many students are capable of showcasing. Concerns are therefore being raised about the lack of originality in student’s work. Many students are beginning to lack the self-confidence to tackle tasks without using ChatGPT, due to them spiralling over their own ‘inadequacy’ compared to AI and fear of expressing their own ideas.
ChatGPT seems to be stifling the benefits of schooling itself. For many years, schools were centres of growth and creativity, where students develop their opinions, debate contrasting ideas and embrace their creativity. Due to the surge in use of AI platforms, the social benefits of schooling are diminished, as thoughts are homogenised, and individualism is suppressed. It forces you to question what is the point of exams and qualifications like GCSEs when students are merely reiterating ideas that aren’t their own?