Should I Use AI for This?

AI can be useful, but useful is not the same as appropriate. Before you use it, decide what the assignment is supposed to help you learn and what thinking still needs to belong to you.

1. What Am I Supposed to Learn?

If the goal is to practice writing an argument, solving a problem, interpreting a text, designing an experiment, or showing what you know, having AI do that thinking for you may defeat the purpose.

2. What Kind of Help Do I Need?

AI may be useful for things like:

• brainstorming possibilities you will evaluate yourself;
• asking you practice questions;
• explaining an idea another way;
• giving feedback on something you already created;
• helping you organize choices;
• suggesting what to check or research next.

3. Am I Replacing My Thinking?

Ask: “If AI disappeared right now, could I explain the thinking behind what I am turning in?”

4. Am I Allowed to Use It?

Follow your teacher’s, school’s, family’s, or activity’s rules. Different assignments may have different expectations.

5. Am I Protecting Privacy?

Do not enter private, personal, identifying, or sensitive information about yourself or other people unless a trusted adult and the approved tool specifically allow it.

Try It

You have to write a personal reflection about what you learned from a project. Which would help you learn more?

• Ask AI to write the reflection.
• Write your reflection, then ask AI to point out places where your explanation is unclear.

Explain why.

💡 Funky Tip

The best question is not “Can AI do this?” It is “What kind of help lets me keep doing the learning?”

I am smart.

Using a powerful tool wisely requires judgment, not just access.

🎒 Take It With You

Learning goal → kind of help → keep the thinking → follow the rules → protect privacy.