AI Eliminating Education?
Every subject my teachers tried to jam into my bonkers mind required a Herculean effort. It was a tough road, but around seventh grade, I got some help. My sister opened a savings account at Sunshine Bank. (They are long gone.) One of the perks was a calculator with their name silk-screened on it, and she gave it to me.
It was a little larger than a credit card, three times as thick, had eight glorious digits, and was powered by a tiny solar panel. Nice! This device was a novelty at the time, and most kids at my school did not have one. I recall they were a little pricey at around $15. This simple tool proved to be a lifesaver, and my schoolwork/homework instantly improved.
Before all this, I did all my math by hand. Long division, column multiplication, and “carry the number” addition. It felt so great to be done with all of that.
My teachers did not agree. No, they preferred the old methods because they taught us how math worked, and using a calculator bypassed all the teachable moments. My counterargument was, “I already know the longhand method. Calculators are the future! And there is real value in learning how to use a calculator properly.”
Teachers could not stop progress, and I used my calculator until the ninth grade when my parents purchased a TI-55 scientific calculator. For college, they purchased an HP 28S. Wow, that programmable beast had some great features!
After college, I used the calculator on my computer/phone, and the HP 28S began gathering dust. I still have it, but N batteries are hard to find.
Do I regret using a calculator? No, inexpensive calculators became available at the perfect time to boost my education.
Well, this all seems reasonable, but what about today’s kids? I came across this article recently that discusses the matter:
It was a little larger than a credit card, three times as thick, had eight glorious digits, and was powered by a tiny solar panel. Nice! This device was a novelty at the time, and most kids at my school did not have one. I recall they were a little pricey at around $15. This simple tool proved to be a lifesaver, and my schoolwork/homework instantly improved.
Before all this, I did all my math by hand. Long division, column multiplication, and “carry the number” addition. It felt so great to be done with all of that.
My teachers did not agree. No, they preferred the old methods because they taught us how math worked, and using a calculator bypassed all the teachable moments. My counterargument was, “I already know the longhand method. Calculators are the future! And there is real value in learning how to use a calculator properly.”
Teachers could not stop progress, and I used my calculator until the ninth grade when my parents purchased a TI-55 scientific calculator. For college, they purchased an HP 28S. Wow, that programmable beast had some great features!
After college, I used the calculator on my computer/phone, and the HP 28S began gathering dust. I still have it, but N batteries are hard to find.
Do I regret using a calculator? No, inexpensive calculators became available at the perfect time to boost my education.
Well, this all seems reasonable, but what about today’s kids? I came across this article recently that discusses the matter:
There’s a new sheriff in town named Einstein. This AI tool can complete nearly every homework assignment, take online tests, and write reports. Thus, the article asks, “What’s the point of school when AI can do your homework?”
That is a valid question, and the answer begins with the linear method we learned. Take mathematics as an example. Teachers begin our education with counting, then move on to adding, subtracting, and multiplying…
It is all very straightforward. Meaning that if we take a kid who does not know 2+2, a teacher can show them the basic steps. Our education system introduces a process (learning) that allows students to answer 2+2 and provides them with the foundation to answer similar ones (3+3). The same is true with science, history, and language. The only teachable element that AI cannot replicate is physical education.
Therefore, it is valid for a kid to say, “Now that AI exists, I can sit at home playing Minecraft while AI does all the work. I don’t need to go to school.”
Adults respond, “No, you need to understand how things work for yourself. Plus, science, history, math, and language get more complex after you graduate high school. You need this foundation.” Of course, the snarky kids would reply, “By then, there will be more advanced AI to answer all my questions.”
I do not disagree because I see AI in use everywhere, from awful YouTube videos to AI-generated emails. Because adults are already on the bandwagon, it is natural for kids to see this load of slop and jump on it too.
Of course, the parent in me knows all about the real world. AI has legitimate uses, and I admit to enjoying a few AI-generated YouTube videos. Otherwise, I strongly dislike all the AI slop I get hit with. It clogs up my inbox, wastes my time, and introduces errors that cause all kinds of problems.
And AI has a very real limitation; it cannot dig ditches, and the world needs ditches. Yet, I remember that calculator. It was so amazing—a real breath of fresh air. Plus, I can imagine myself as a present-day kid using ChatGPT like a madman. Believe me, I would be the first in line to download it. Experts have terms for such users: “early adopters” and “beta testers.”
What this means is that AI is causing some kids to stop focusing on fundamental educational principles. In my mind, it is an unavoidable path that will consume this generation.
Where does this lead us? Allow me to apply my expert future-predicting skills to answer this question.
Recalling what it was like when I was a kid, I would use AI whenever I could. Why? It is so easy. Gosh, ChatGPT can write an entire report on George Washington in five minutes. This power is too tempting, and most of today’s kids are or will be hooked on AI. Thus, from now on, every high school diploma should have the words “Expert Minecraft Player” in bold letters.
That is fine until reality hits high school graduates like a brick. What will these AI addicts do? Some will be burdens on society, some will be mediocre adults, and the rest will eat a plate of crow (learn those subjects). Life for these “graduates” will be 100,000 times harder than if they had ignored the allure of AI. Meaning, all three paths will be problematic.
Well, it is not all doom and gloom. While I am not the brightest bulb, I do know the basics. So, when there is no AI to help, I shine.
You’re the best -Bill
May 20, 2026
That is a valid question, and the answer begins with the linear method we learned. Take mathematics as an example. Teachers begin our education with counting, then move on to adding, subtracting, and multiplying…
It is all very straightforward. Meaning that if we take a kid who does not know 2+2, a teacher can show them the basic steps. Our education system introduces a process (learning) that allows students to answer 2+2 and provides them with the foundation to answer similar ones (3+3). The same is true with science, history, and language. The only teachable element that AI cannot replicate is physical education.
Therefore, it is valid for a kid to say, “Now that AI exists, I can sit at home playing Minecraft while AI does all the work. I don’t need to go to school.”
Adults respond, “No, you need to understand how things work for yourself. Plus, science, history, math, and language get more complex after you graduate high school. You need this foundation.” Of course, the snarky kids would reply, “By then, there will be more advanced AI to answer all my questions.”
I do not disagree because I see AI in use everywhere, from awful YouTube videos to AI-generated emails. Because adults are already on the bandwagon, it is natural for kids to see this load of slop and jump on it too.
Of course, the parent in me knows all about the real world. AI has legitimate uses, and I admit to enjoying a few AI-generated YouTube videos. Otherwise, I strongly dislike all the AI slop I get hit with. It clogs up my inbox, wastes my time, and introduces errors that cause all kinds of problems.
And AI has a very real limitation; it cannot dig ditches, and the world needs ditches. Yet, I remember that calculator. It was so amazing—a real breath of fresh air. Plus, I can imagine myself as a present-day kid using ChatGPT like a madman. Believe me, I would be the first in line to download it. Experts have terms for such users: “early adopters” and “beta testers.”
What this means is that AI is causing some kids to stop focusing on fundamental educational principles. In my mind, it is an unavoidable path that will consume this generation.
Where does this lead us? Allow me to apply my expert future-predicting skills to answer this question.
Recalling what it was like when I was a kid, I would use AI whenever I could. Why? It is so easy. Gosh, ChatGPT can write an entire report on George Washington in five minutes. This power is too tempting, and most of today’s kids are or will be hooked on AI. Thus, from now on, every high school diploma should have the words “Expert Minecraft Player” in bold letters.
That is fine until reality hits high school graduates like a brick. What will these AI addicts do? Some will be burdens on society, some will be mediocre adults, and the rest will eat a plate of crow (learn those subjects). Life for these “graduates” will be 100,000 times harder than if they had ignored the allure of AI. Meaning, all three paths will be problematic.
Well, it is not all doom and gloom. While I am not the brightest bulb, I do know the basics. So, when there is no AI to help, I shine.
You’re the best -Bill
May 20, 2026
