Sawsan

My name is Madeline, and I’m 15 years old. I live in New Toronto in 2099. Many people say life is easier now than it’s ever been. I believe it, I’m not sure how people lived 75 years ago, life is so much easier than it was in 2024. AI is the best thing that there is now, from the moment I wake up to the time I go to bed, it’s there to make life simpler. I’ve grown up with it, it’s like a teacher, personal assistant, and best friend all in one. I can’t imagine life without AI. I’ve always considered myself lucky growing up surrounded by Advanced AI. My parents and grandparents always tell me stories about their school years, it sounds so much more different than mine. They had chalkboards, paper assignments, written notes with pen and paper, textbooks, and paper tests. At school, rather than reading through textbooks, I can explore, for instance, an ancient civilization through virtual reality, submit holographic recordings for presentations, and solve problems with the use of AI tutors. Life is absolutely amazing, however, lately, I've started to wonder: are we losing something important?

I feel as though I have a second brain with my very own AI assistant. It reminds me of due dates, upcoming tests, and what I need to do for the day. Everyday my day is perfectly mapped out. As I get to school, I either sit with my human teacher or put on my VR headset and enter the Vivarium.

I usually choose the Vivarium, and so do the majority of students. I mean who doesn’t!! It’s the coolest thing you can imagine, it’s an immersive virtual world where AI is in charge. This isn't 2024 where we sit and listen to lessons, I’m literally able to stand at the edge of a volcano in geography class or experience the conquest of Gaul in history class. My lessons are interactive and vivid, it makes learning much more engaging rather than listening to a boring lecture and falling asleep to it. My grandpa would often tell me how lucky my generation and I are growing up and experiencing advanced education. He hated school and so did people during his time. I’ll be honest I’d hate school as well if I had to experience it without the AI tools we have today. I love school and so does every other student.

I will say though, the human classroom feels empty. Only a few students sit with our teacher, Mme. Lavale, while the rest of us are with the Vivarium. These few students are amongst the descendants of those who protested against the use of AI taking over schools decades ago. Their families preserve the traditional ways of learning and strictly believe that education should remain human-centred.

When AI tools were officially integrated into schools, there were massive protests across Old Toronto. Teachers, professors, education professionals, parents, and even students filled the streets standing up for what they believed. They were fueled by fears that AI would strip away independence, creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills as well as other essential skills to possess to thrive in the real world. Riots broke out when the government dismissed their concerns and mandated AI integration in all schools which led to massive job cuts in education. Thousands of support staff, teachers, and even administrators were replaced by AI systems. These systems were faster as well as cheaper. Thousands of people accused the government of dehumanizing education and destroying lives and future lives, and petitions demanding limits on AI’s role in education. This movement left a lasting mark – families refused to adjust to the changes and let their children participate in AI-based schooling. The handful of students seen with human teachers are part of this group. Now, that I think about it, I’m not sure why they haven’t taught us this important part of Canadian history in school, my grandparents had to tell me about it.

I don’t mean to disrespect anyone a part of this movement, however, I believe AI systems in schools do more good than bad, it just makes life easy. For instance, if I’m having a hard time with math, I can ask Haloo or Chat GPT + to explain it to me. If I need help with ideas for a project, they're there to help. They're also there to give me feedback, correct my grammar mistakes, and sentence structures, and provide me with ideas on what to include in my essays and/or assignments.

However though, as much as I love AI, I’ve started to notice what we’re missing. My grandparents often would talk about the bonds they had with their teachers and classmates, how they stayed after school to work on group assignments, attend tutoring club, receive extra help from their teachers during lunch, or simply hang out after school. We don’t necessarily have that type of connection today. Even when my friends and I are together, we’re on our phones or chatting with our AI assistant instead of each other.

Another thing I’ve come to realize is that when AI systems glitch or a major sudden shutdown occurs, we’re left helpless. For instance, 2 months ago, the Vivarium shut down during a math class for about 40 minutes, we started to panic because we needed it to learn and solve word problems. This has made me realize that we may be too reliant on AI systems for us to survive without them.

I still believe in AI in education and New Toronto as a whole. It’s opened doors and positively changed my city and my education. I also believe that it certainly can’t replace human connection. AI is amazing, but it’s simply a tool, I'm starting to understand that we can’t lose ourselves, we have to find a balance between embracing technology and creating connections.