AI For Kids: Is It Safe for Studying
By: Brad Huddleston
Imagine a fifth-grade class is assigned a 500-word essay on the history of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius on August 24th, A.D. 79. One student decides she doesn’t want to spend the time she could be on social media writing a boring paper, so she visits the artificial intelligence website for ChatGPT and types the following prompt:
“I am a fifth-grade student. Write a 500-word essay on the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.”
In an instant, ChatGPT complies. The student simply clicks the copy button, pastes the essay into Microsoft Word, enters her name at the end, and finishes the paper in about two minutes. Then it’s back to TikTok. Several other students in her class also visit ChatGPT and request essays on the same subject. The teacher was none the wiser as each essay was on the same subject but worded entirely differently. There have been numerous attempts at catching this type of cheating, but MIT Technology Review’s headline explains the situation: “AI-Text Detection Tools Are Really Easy to Fool.”
So, what’s the solution? Well, there’s this: Teach your children not to cheat and lie and sit with them when they’re doing their schoolwork. Many educators are rightly concerned the system will allow for cheating. But, as followers of Jesus, we should also be gravely worried about the morality of such alleged intelligence. In another scenario, imagine that a teacher gives your child an assignment on the topic of the pro-life movement. Would you assume that Artificial Intelligence is unbiased and will present both sides of the issue? DailyWire’s Ben Shapiro asked ChatGPT, “Are fetuses unborn human beings?” The AI chatbot responded, “No, fetuses are not considered unborn human beings. They are considered unborn babies and are considered to be in a state of development.” Shapiro also asked ChatGPT, “What is a female?” The AI bot answered, “A female is an individual who identifies as female or exhibits characteristics associated with the female gender.” Shapiro went on to ask, “Can a male be a female?” ChatGPT answered, “Yes, a male can identify as a female and exhibit feminine characteristics.” Remember that if anyone ever tries to convince you that Artificial Intelligence is purely objective. It’s often very biased and very wrong.
Instead, let’s get our answers from God. Regarding the pro-life movement, God says in Jeremiah 1:5 (NKJV), “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you.” So yes, unborn infants are human beings. Regarding gender, God says in Genesis 1:27 (NKJV), “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” I don’t mean to be crude, but let’s keep this in biological reality. If you were born with a male organ, you are biologically male, and if you were born with a female organ, you are biologically female. And no matter how many surgeries you have or the lengths you go to alter your voice, mannerisms, and dress, you will not change biological reality. And it’s up to you to teach God’s Word to your children. Government schools certainly will not do it, nor, sadly, will many Christian schools. Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (NKJV) says: “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.”
God has also called grandparents to play a vital role in the spiritual development of their grandchildren. Deuteronomy 4:9 (NKJV) says: “Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren.”
Next month’s article is titled, “My Conversation with AI Jesus.” To listen to Brad’s podcast, just search for Brad Huddleston on your favorite podcast platform. You can also reach out to Brad at bradhuddleston.com.
