Using AI As A Tool

By: Vivienne B, Grade 11

A research scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab conducted a study in 2024 with three groups of students writing essays, each with different tools they are allowed to use. Each group had one of the following tools; these tools included only the brain, search engines, or solely AI. They had four sessions to complete the essay and in the last session each group was given a tool they hadn’t had in the previous three sessions. The analysis of the results showed that students who used a type of AI, known as a Large Language Model (LLM), demonstrated less brain activity than either of the other groups. These results would make sense if the student is using the AI program to do all of the work for them, although this is not always the case when using AI.

I believe that using AI helps to enhance the fundamentals in your brain development. When using it as a tool, in order for it to be effective, you need to know what questions to ask in order to get the thorough answer you are looking for. Asking questions in AI can give you a broad spectrum of answers and may give you the wrong information, so it is not something you can fully rely on for 100% accuracy. When you know how to use AI effectively by asking deeper and more specific questions, it is a very helpful tool when wanting to make things more efficient or when you feel stuck. It is noted of the turn in the experiment where the group of students who were only allowed to use their brain, were now given access to use LLM for their last writing session. Comparing this group to the opposite group who used LLM the first three sessions and only their brain the last session, the study finds that the students using AI for the first time had a greater response in their essays. The ones using their brains for the majority of the study were forced to dig deeper into their knowledge, allowing their thoughts to develop questions that they couldn't answer themselves due to lacking the knowledge. Once they were able to have a resource to answer those specific questions, AI gave them a detailed answer. These students showed a greater response in the quality and depth of their essays. The students who relied on their brain for most of the study were forced to delve into their own knowledge and understanding. This process allowed their thoughts to develop naturally and helped them identify specific questions they could not answer on their own due to gaps in knowledge. Once they were given access to AI, they were able to use it as a targeted resource to answer those precise questions in detail.

On the other hand, students who relied almost entirely on AI to write their essays did not feel the need to narrow in on specific ideas or questions. Instead, they were more likely to ask the system to write an essay based on a broad topic, which limited deeper thinking. Another important aspect of strong essay writing is the ability to connect personal experiences and emotions to the topic. These personal connections often make an essay more thoughtful, meaningful, and engaging. AI cannot replicate personal feelings, lived experiences, or individual perspectives, which are essential elements of effective writing.

Overall, the arrival of AI programs across countless platforms serve as an efficient tool for those who are able to use it to its utmost advantage. Not thinking about the questions you are asking AI to answer will produce less brain activity because you are not applying yourself to create a thoughtful question that will get a thoughtful response. I believe that you should use your own knowledge to get the fundamentals of the topic down, but when you are stuck or need an extra idea it is righteous to turn to AI for help.