I’m a High Schooler. AI Is Demolishing My Education.
The end of critical thinking in the classroom
By Ashanty Rosario
Illustration by Akshita Chandra / The Atlantic. Source: Getty.
September 3, 2025
Artificial intelligence has become an unavoidable presence in classrooms, transforming the educational experience in ways that raise serious concerns about learning and critical thinking. Ashanty Rosario, a senior at a public high school in New York City, shares her firsthand observations and reflections on how AI tools, like ChatGPT, are reshaping student behavior, academic integrity, and the spirit of education itself.
AI’s Pervasive Influence in School
In Ashanty’s school, AI systems are everywhere. Despite her own cautious choice not to rely on them, she cannot escape their widespread use among her peers. During a lesson on Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, she witnessed a classmate use ChatGPT to generate annotations instantly by pasting the entire chapter into the AI prompt. These annotations, intended to foster thoughtful classroom discussions about slavery and human resilience, have instead devolved into shallow, copy-pasted commentaries. Such use diminishes the opportunity for genuine reflection.
Similarly, in her Algebra II class, students often photograph homework assignments and upload them to AI platforms. The technology promptly produces step-by-step solutions and accompanying graphs, effectively doing their work for them. These conveniences not only challenge the value of effort but signal a troubling erosion of fundamental learning processes.
The Loss of Academic Urgency and Community
Previously, students shared a sense of urgency and camaraderie, especially during homework crunch times near deadlines. Ashanty recalls how the tense moments before the 11:59 p.m. submission times—furiously typing to complete assignments—created a shared academic experience. However, AI has dulled these pressures by allowing last-minute, effortless completion of tasks. The consequence is a diminished culture of discipline and a reduced impetus for intellectual engagement.
With AI minimizing the repercussions of procrastination, many students now bypass the hard work entirely. The academic urgency that once propelled students to hone their abilities and think critically is waning. As Ashanty puts it, the tools “have destroyed much of what tied us together as students.” The educational journey risks becoming shallow and fragmented, driven more by output than by learning.
School Responses and Their Limitations
In response to increasing AI use, schools across the country, including Ashanty’s, have invested in detection software, plagiarism checkers, and exam proctoring. However, these measures provide only partial solutions. Students are employing “humanizer” tools to reword AI-generated content and even manually editing outputs to avoid detection. Some smuggle phones to access AI during exams, circumventing locked screens and recordings.
As Ashanty observes, “preventative measures can only go so far.” The problem is deeper than enforcing rules—it reflects a fundamental shift in student attitudes towards learning, accountability, and internal growth.
The Decline of Critical Thinking and Originality
The influence of AI extends beyond homework to extracurricular academic pursuits. Ashanty shares her experience with her school’s debate team, which she joined as a sophomore. Initially a space that celebrated intellectual rigor, creativity, and argument-building, the debate environment has also succumbed to AI’s reach. Chatbots are now frequently used to research and construct arguments during competitions.
For Ashanty, debate is about generating original thoughts and responding spontaneously. The rise of AI reliance feels like a hollowing out of what she once loved. She laments that the focus has shifted from cultivating true understanding and skill to presenting the best polished answers—often fabricated by machines.
A Call for Education Reform
While acknowledging that AI is not intrinsically negative—some students use it as a study aid or to deepen comprehension—Ashanty stresses the dangers of overreliance. If students become accustomed to outsourcing thinking to machines, they risk losing grit, critical thinking, and resilience—qualities vital for success beyond the classroom.
She argues that simply relying on AI detectors or surveillance won’t fix the underlying issues. Instead, schools should innovate assessment methods to emphasize authenticity and thinking processes that AI cannot easily replicate. Suggested approaches include:
- Oral exams that require students to explain their reasoning in real time
- Personalized writing assignments tied to individual experiences or current events
- Portfolio-based grading and presentations that allow extended, reflective work
- Learning journals where students explore their struggles, methods, and insights
By implementing these strategies, institutions can foster environments that prioritize integrity, creativity, and independent thought.
The Urgent Need to Adapt
The stakes are high. AI tools may make schoolwork easier to complete, but they can simultaneously stunt intellectual growth, producing a generation unprepared to think critically or face real-world challenges. Ashanty warns that unless educational practices evolve quickly, the promise of learning risks being overshadowed by a culture of dependency on technology.
Her experience serves as a poignant reminder that education is not just about grades or assignments—it is about developing the mind and character to meet life’s complexities. The path forward demands courage, creativity, and a recommitment to the core values of education in the age of AI.
About the Author
Ashanty Rosario is a senior at Newtown High School in Queens, New York, and contributes her unique perspective as a student navigating the challenges of education during the rise of artificial intelligence.
This article originally appeared in The Atlantic on September 3, 2025.
