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Every Tuesday, I sit with a group of bright-eyed secondary school students. They are Eight; Six in Grade 5 and 3 in Grade 4. Their curiosity is unmatched. I feel intrigued each time they ask questions. Moreover, heir excitement for the world of technology is contagious. Together, we explore the changing and improving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI). We talk about new developments, trends, tools, and the possibilities it brings to humanity. In that small circle, we are thinkers, researchers, and questioners. And from where I stand, AI is not a threat, it is a tool. I mean, an incredible tool.
The narrative surrounding AI discussions is often split into two extremes including the fear that it will replace us, and the hope that it will help us. I choose the latter, not because I’m naive to the risks, but because I have seen firsthand what happens when these young minds use AI responsibly. They don’t lose their creativity, rather, their creality is amplified.
Many of my students now use AI chatbots to do streaks of research, turning what used to be long, difficult searches into smart, strategic explorations. AI is helping them learn how to learn. That is, they learn faster, think deeper, and more independently. This, in my opinion not just gives them answers; it teaches them how to ask better questions.
Do I think AI needs to be handled with care? Absolutely. Just like any powerful tool, ethical usage is not optional, it is foundational. We talk often about digital responsibility, the line between help and harm, and how to stay human in an increasingly machine-driven world.
But here's what excites me most: these young learners are not just absorbing technology, they are preparing to shape it. The future we are building towards is not one where humans are replaced by machines, but one where humans will develop better tools to solve real problems with empathy, creativity, and responsibility.
A few of these lads have indicated interest in becoming developers so they can build tools to fasten operations in their choice career lines. This has placed a demand for me to start my coding class but I do not have alot of funds and time, I have stated the basics with AI.
I personally see AI as the pencil with which we can learn to write a better story together. With the above muse, I say that AI is not a threat. It is a tool. And in the right hands and hearts, it is a friend, not a foe.
This post is my entry to this week's edition of IndiaUnited writing Contest.