Artificial Intelligence in Education and Society: A Tool or a Threat

Over the past few years, artificial intelligence has rapidly shifted from a futuristic idea to an everyday reality. AI now plays a role in classrooms, workplaces, creative industries, and public services. As these tools become more accessible between 2020 and 2026, society is grappling with a central question: Is AI primarily a tool that enhances learning and productivity, or a threat to ethics, academic integrity, and future jobs? The answer, according to students, teachers, staff, and experts, lies somewhere in between.

In education, AI has become especially influential. Many students rely on it to revise writing, organize thoughts, and understand complex subjects. Aly Holt, a senior, shares that she uses AI “as a learning tool to revise and improve my essays, as well as to help me better understand challenging topics in my statistics homework.” She emphasized that AI works best as a support, not a replacement, helping her learn more efficiently rather than doing the work for her.

Senior Jeremias Castro echoes this sentiment, but adds a more casual perspective.   He says, “I really enjoy using it and rely on it frequently.” He also acknowledges the potential downsides, explaining that AI “makes it much easier for students to complete large amounts of work quickly, but some students rely on it too much and overuse it.” Regarding responsible use, Castro suggests that “schools should set clear limits, such as allowing AI for guidance on a few questions but not for completing entire assignments.” His perspective highlights the balance students themselves recognize between convenience and overreliance.

Another senior, Silas Crites, offers a more critical view of AI’s role in College Credit Plus (CCP) classes, emphasizing how the increased independence can make misuse more tempting. Silas explains that CCP courses are structured much more like college classes, with less direct supervision and greater responsibility placed on students. “When you’re in CCP, the classes are much more independent,” he says. “This gives room for students to find ways to put in less effort using generative AI.” He also points out that many students fail to recognize the seriousness of their actions, adding “people don’t realize the stakes they’re at with being in college courses.”

When asked whether AI is more helpful or more risky in a college-style environment like CCP, Silas is direct. “One hundred percent it’s more risky,” he says.  He further explains the transition from high school to college does not automatically change student behavior. “People don’t change from high school to college really.  School is school and people hate work,” Silas explains.  He notes that AI becomes “a very easy out” for students trying to avoid effort, especially in writing-heavy courses where originality and personal thought are expected. His perspective highlights how increased freedom without proper guidance can lead to academic dishonesty and overreliance on AI tools.

Staff perspectives add another layer. Nicole Tagalicod, secretary at BBHCSD, shares that she sees AI as “a great tool when used in the correct way”.  She lists benefits like proofreading, boosting efficiency, and helping with problem solving.  She also acknowledges challenges, including misuse in schools and privacy concerns.  Although she does not use AI apps frequently herself, she notes that when she does, she finds them “useful and helpful.” On the idea of AI taking over jobs or changing the world, she admits it feels “a little scary,” but she believes that humans are smart enough to use AI to its full potential while maintaining control.

Teachers, however, have a broader view of AI’s impact. English teacher Gina Hutter describes AI as “a huge change in teaching English”.  She notes that it has fundamentally altered how students approach learning. While she acknowledges AI’s benefits, such as helping create study guides, review materials, and research resources, she expresses concern about its effect on curiosity and originality.

“AI takes away the inquiry and curiosity of learners,” Hutter explains. “Why think or be creative if you only have to type in a prompt?” She also points out that academic dishonesty has increased.  She states that while cheating has always existed, “the numbers are significantly increasing.”

Despite these concerns, educators are not rejecting AI outright. Instead, many argue that responsible guidance is essential. Hutter stresses that teachers must clearly show students how to use AI ethically while enforcing consequences for plagiarism. “It is imperative that teachers show how to use AI responsibly,” she says,  adding that students still need to develop critical thinking skills. Without that balance, she warns, society risks moving toward a future where human creativity and interaction are diminished.

Beyond the classroom, AI’s influence on the job market has sparked intense debate. According to a 2025 Forbes article,”These Jobs Will Fall First As AI Takes Over The Workplace,” by Jack Kelly, artificial intelligence is advancing at “breakneck speed,” with major institutions such as McKinsey, PwC, and the World Economic Forum predicting that up to 60% of current jobs will require significant adaptation due to AI. The article explains that repetitive, data heavy roles such as data entry, customer service, bookkeeping, and basic legal research are among the first jobs at risk of automation.

Kelly reports that Goldman Sachs estimates up to 300 million jobs could be displaced globally, while McKinsey projects that by 2030, 30% of United States jobs could be automated and 60% significantly altered. However, the article also emphasizes that not all careers face the same level of risk. Jobs that rely on empathy, creativity, leadership, and complex human judgment, such as teaching, healthcare, skilled trades, and high level management, are far more resistant to automation.

This perspective aligns with student views. Holt states that she does not believe AI will completely replace jobs, arguing instead that laws and regulations can help manage its impact. “While it may change how some jobs are done,” she says, “new job opportunities will likely emerge alongside technological advancements.”

Similarly, Castro recognized the convenience AI provides, but stresses responsible limits, reflecting a student viewpoint that complements broader workforce discussions. Tagalicod’s cautious optimism about using AI responsibly echoes this same theme.

Experts quoted in Forbes, including business leaders like Ray Dalio and Jamie Dimon, stress that the future workforce must adapt by developing skills AI cannot easily replicate, including critical thinking, creativity, and digital fluency. Rather than signaling the end of work, AI may mark a restructuring of how work is done.

AI’s impact, however, is not limited to school or jobs, it also extends into creativity and innovation. A 2025 study from Wharton found that while AI tools like ChatGPT can improve the quality of individual ideas, they also tend to reduce diversity in thinking, leading groups to generate more similar ideas. Co-author Christian Terwiesch explains, “If you rely on Chat GPT as your only creative advisor, you’ll soon run out of ideas, because they’re too similar to each other.”

The study shows that even when used independently, AI prompts often produce overlapping responses, limiting the variety essential for breakthrough innovation.

The researchers emphasized that AI can be a useful tool for brainstorming, but humans still play a critical role in producing original, diverse ideas. Techniques like breaking prompts into smaller steps, combining multiple AI models, or starting with human-generated ideas can help preserve creative diversity. Their work suggests a larger lesson: fluency and efficiency from AI do not automatically equal originality, and relying solely on AI could flatten human innovation in the long term.

Ultimately, AI’s role in education, the workforce, and creative industries reflects a dual reality. It is a powerful tool capable of improving learning, productivity, and idea generation, but it also raises serious ethical, academic, and social concerns. Schools and society play a crucial role in shaping this balance by creating clear policies, teaching responsible use, and emphasizing human creativity, inquiry, and critical thinking.

As Hutter cautions, society must remember the importance of human thought and connection. “Who wants to end up in a dystopian society?” she asks. The future of AI depends not on the technology itself, but on how thoughtfully humans choose to use it.