Since the launch of ChatGPT, I’ve been asked to present at conferences, webinars, and school meetings about Artificial Intelligence and its potential impact on the classroom, teachers, and education at large. While I’ve been enjoying sharing and learning, there is one key message I’ve been compelled to push:

As educators, we have a moral imperative to teach our students about Artificial Intelligence.

As painful as this is for many of us, especially those among us who are scared that AI will take their jobs, it’s true.

As educators, it’s our duty to prepare our students for their future, and one of the key technologies that will shape their world is Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI has already made itself a ubiquitous presence in our daily lives, but most people haven’t thought of it in those terms. From smartphones to self-driving cars, and it’s here to stay. With this in mind, we have a moral imperative to teach our students about AI and services like ChatGPT.

Now, you may be thinking, “But I’m not an expert on AI, how can I teach it?” That’s okay! Our goal is not to turn our students into AI experts. Rather, we want to equip them with the skills and knowledge they need to navigate an AI-driven world. By teaching our students about the basics of AI and ChatGPT, we can help them understand how these technologies work, their potential benefits, and the ethical issues that come with them.

If we don’t teach our students about AI, they are likely to develop bad habits when using it. It’s easy to worry about plagiarism and academic dishonesty, but if we’re not there to teach students what that means in the new world, how will they make thoughtful and appropriate decisions around their own use of these bots?

While a lot of people are still concerned about potential misuses, AI also has the potential to revolutionize education. It can personalize learning, provide real-time feedback, and help identify gaps in student understanding. By teaching our students about AI, we’re not just preparing them for the future but also showing them how AI can benefit their education and their lives.

Teaching our students about AI and ChatGPT is crucial in preparing them for their future. We don’t need to be AI experts, but we should equip our students with the skills and knowledge they need to understand and use AI responsibly. By doing so, we can help them develop critical thinking skills and an understanding of how technology works. So, let’s embrace the moral imperative and prepare our students for a world where AI is an ever-present reality.