Just a few years ago, the most Artificial Intelligence (AI) we used in school was Grammarly, which fixed our grammar or autocorrected us from typos. Now? It’s all about ChatGPT. This year, AI isn’t just a tool; it’s a whole vibe.
PHS students, like students around the world, are using it to brainstorm essays, get help with math, chemistry, and history, study for APs, and even ask deep questions about life, friendship, and relationships. But while students are figuring out how to best use it, PHS hasn’t really caught up, and there is a lot of suspicion about its use and confusion about what’s allowed and what’s fair.
“Teachers and parents automatically assume we are cheating when we use ChatGPT,” said PHS sophomore Owen Curran. “But I mostly use it to understand better what I’m learning in class.”
PHS must adapt and embrace new technologies like AI into our school. In a recent survey, 235 PHS students spoke up, with about 87% suggesting that the school’s adoption of AI is nonexistent or very limited. Over 87% fear that PHS is not preparing them for the role of AI in the workplace, with 76% recognizing that these skills will be important for their future. Students want to see changes, with an overall 85.6% support for integrating and using AI tools in the classroom, though 67.8% preferred selective or supervised use to address equity concerns.
“We don’t need our school to teach more programming. We need new programs to learn how to think and be more creative,” said Danny King, PHS sophomore.
While support for AI in the classroom is strong, preparing students for an AI-driven future requires more than technical skills like coding. It requires teaching how to think critically and ethically, solve problems creatively, and adapt continuously. According to the 2023 World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report, these skills are among the most crucial for the future workforce, even more important than technical skills alone. Indeed, at the 2024 and 2025 G7 meetings, world leaders zeroed in on regulating emerging technologies like AI, alongside their ethical, social, and economic impacts. G7, or Group of Seven, is the coalition of leading industrialized democracies, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, that meets annually to tackle major global challenges.
In the age of AI, the ability to frame problems, interpret complex outputs, and make ethical decisions will be just as essential as programming. PHS students seem to understand this clearly. Indeed, only 27.8% highlighted technical skills, like programming and data analysis, as their top priority. The remaining 72.2% emphasized the importance of skills like creativity, problem-solving, critical thinking, emotional intelligence, communication, and adaptability to succeed in the future. As students increasingly interact with AI tools, these technologies are becoming more than just academic aids; they’re shaping how young people communicate, form ideas, and build relationships. “Communicating with a person is different than communicating with AI bots like ChatGPT,” said PHS senior Lewis Seiden.
As PHS considers integrating AI into education, it will face the additional challenge of teaching students how to navigate its risks, including manipulation, misinformation, and emotional exploitation. Today, students are not fully aware of this. Indeed, when asked about the impact of AI on personal relationships and emotional exploitation, only 16.6% of the students voiced concerns, while the remaining 83.4% stated it doesn’t have any effect. If schools prepare students for an AI-driven world, they must also provide them with the tools to defend their autonomy.
The recent signing into law of Bill No. 2876 by Governor Newsom marks an essential first step toward aligning education with the demands of a rapidly evolving technological landscape. As AI begins to shape every aspect of life and work, schools must prepare students to adapt and lead. Some Bay Area districts, including Palo Alto and Marin, are already taking meaningful steps. It is time for Piedmont Unified School District to do the same, not just to follow, but help define what a modern, future-ready education looks like. The future isn’t waiting. Our school shouldn’t either.
