“Write a news article on artificial intelligence’s impact on the modern classroom.” This article very easily could have been completed in under a second with the generative power of ChatGPT because over the last decade, Artificial Intelligence (AI) secured its place in many facets of modern life. Generative AI and language model chatbots lead to policy change and restrictive measures in classroom environments, but with the continual development and growth of AI as a whole, policy will continue to change. AI has been relevant in day-to-day lives for years, specifically in the form of reactive AI, where a machine or program reacts to an input and gives a set output that does not change over time. Netflix and Google have used reactive AI to recommend shows to watch next or filter or spam emails for years now. 

Since COVID-19 and a worldwide shift towards online learning, virtual environments, and digital resources, students have experienced extra exposure to AI tools, which can be used for things as simple as grammar correction, or writing an entire essay, or as complicated as writing code to determine battery capacity in windmills. Teachers and administration are no stranger to this. According to AP/DE English Teacher Mrs. Andrea Elbaum, “I think the reality is that in the professional world, AI is being used in businesses.” Whether the education system of America is built for it or not, AI is here and will not be leaving any time soon.

As reflected through the changes in actual policy in Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS), there is much concern revolving around AI and what it means for schools right now. For those involved directly in the ground-level of education, such as teachers and student leaders, the threat to academic integrity is significant. Grady Berlik, National Honor Society Co-President and Science National Honor Society President, explains, “Before teachers really knew about it, people would just submit entire ChatGPT essays and get away with it.” He also mentions how since the initial emergence, teachers have become much more aware and schools are now somewhat better at dealing with it. At Woodgrove, the National Honor Society will be relying on the newly formed academic integrity board to review violations before students are accepted.

Last spring, LCPS pushed Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini to teachers across the county. Teachers are able to use it to help create lesson plans, outline classroom structure, or help plan their school sponsored trip for a club. However, Mr. Ethan Kantz, computer and material science lab director at the Academies of Loudoun, explained, “Officially, teachers are not implementing AI tools into classroom instruction directly.” Although, many teachers, including Elbaum, have known about and have access to AI tools and detectors like TurnItIn even if they do not often use them. 

“It’s out there, so pretending like it doesn’t exist is not a good idea,” as Elbaum puts it. “If we can have conversations about it and see what it’s capable of doing… that’s the best way to introduce it to the classroom.” She acknowledges that it is not really a viable option to try to prevent it from schools entirely. Instead, looking towards the future where AI can be reasonably and positively implemented in ways that do not take away from the learning value of students is what students and teachers can seem to agree on. Berlik also added to this when he explained, “If we can inform students on how to effectively use it in ways that do not take away from the value of learning, then fearing its use for cheating is something we won’t have to worry about as much.” 

While AI can and most likely will be implemented into the classroom in some way, there needs to be procedures in place for acceptable use. Kantz highlighted this with one of the Academies forefront policies: “I could see a future where AI tools are used, but it would be the responsibility of the teacher and the school to teach acceptable use, similar to how we teach Digital Citizenship.” Schools did not always teach digital citizenship or even have the internet. The system modernized with the world, so AI may be the next.