We are in danger of letting technology rot our brains by allowing it to do our thinking for us, says this student, 18, from the Yew Chung International School in Hong Kong.
As exam season looms, a growing number of students are using AI to complete their school work.
According to a recent report in The Day, “more students than ever are using AI to ace tests and generate essays”. This trend is growing fast, especially with the rise of apps like Cluely. Its creator, Chungin Lee, claims to have used the app to secure job offers from Amazon, TikTok, Meta and Capital One.
A standard version of Cluely is free, but the pro version costs around £15 a month — a price many students are willing to pay for a shortcut to success.
But is this just progress, or are we in danger of making ourselves obsolete, outdated and no longer useful? I’ve seen this problem first hand. Some of my classmates use AI tools to complete assignments and essays that they barely understand. While their grades may look good on paper, they are not learning anything valuable.
It is frustrating to watch because education is supposed to be about growth, not shortcuts. When students use AI to do their work, are they really learning, or just blindly following the instructions of a machine?
Critical thinking is at risk. It means being able to question, analyse and understand, not just copy and paste what AI gives us. I have noticed that when I solve a difficult problem or write an essay by myself, I gain a deeper understanding of the material.
If AI writes our essays or solves our problems, we miss the chance to practice these important skills. We might get higher grades, but what do those grades really mean if we did not do the thinking ourselves? Without critical thinking, how will we face real-world challenges?
There is also the issue of fairness. Not every student can afford to pay for the pro version of Cluely or similar AI tools, so those with more money have an advantage.
I remember hearing a friend complain about how unfair it felt when wealthier peers could afford AI tools for their homework while she could not. Education should give everyone the same chance, but AI tools are creating a new gap.
It is true that new technology always changes how we learn. Calculators, the internet, and now AI have all become part of school life. But using technology as a tool is different from letting it do everything for us. If we stop thinking for ourselves, we risk becoming as obsolete as the outdated machines we throw away.
So what should we do? Banning AI is not the answer. Instead, we need to use it wisely. Teachers and students must work together to make sure AI helps us learn, not just cheat. AI can be a guide, but we need to keep thinking, questioning, and making mistakes to truly understand. For example, I sometimes use AI to brainstorm ideas, but I always make sure to write the final draft myself. This way, I feel proud of the work I have done and know that I am improving my skills.
Do we want a future where AI does all the thinking? The choice is ours.
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