AI is making its way into classrooms at Alden High School, and local news station WKBW took notice. In a recent segment, students and teachers shared how they are integrating AI into their schoolwork while navigating its challenges and ethical considerations.

English and multimedia teacher Colin Dabkowski explained that AI is reshaping education in real time. “We’re in like the Wild West now. We’re all testing the boundaries and rules of what this means,” he said. While AI can be a powerful tool, Dabkowski emphasized the importance of responsible use. “You’re not going in there saying, ‘ChatGPT, write this essay for me,’ but more like, ‘I wrote this, how can I improve it?'”

Senior Corinne Bishop highlighted how AI assists in her multimedia class, where students produce a school news show. She explained that AI can save time when working on articles and helps refine her writing. “When I’m quoting people in the articles, I especially want to go back and check that just to make sure it’s not getting important things wrong,” she said.

Other Alden seniors Gwen Krieb and Lilly Bromstead echoed this sentiment, noting that AI is becoming unavoidable. “It’s gonna be everywhere, and rather than shying away from it and being scared that it might be considered cheating, I think it’s better to learn how to use it the correct way,” Gwen shared. However, concerns remain, particularly regarding AI’s role in English classes. “For writing-heavy classes, there’s definitely a worry about cheating, but in multimedia production, not really,” Lilly added.

Despite its benefits, AI is not without flaws. Students noted that AI-generated content can be repetitive and overly robotic. “Sometimes it is very automated answers, especially if you ask it to write you something. You have to humanize and edit it,” Gwen said.

As Alden High School continues exploring AI’s role in education, both students and teachers are embracing the opportunity to learn and adapt to this evolving technology.