The article explores how artificial intelligence tools—especially chatbots and writing assistants—are reshaping the way students process information, read texts, and engage in critical thinking. Teachers across schools have noticed that students increasingly rely on AI tools to summarize readings, generate essays, and interpret complex material. While these technologies can improve access to knowledge and help struggling learners, they also risk weakening students’ ability to engage deeply with material, analyze arguments, and form their own interpretations.
It emphasizes that the rise of AI has changed reading habits in classrooms. Students now often approach texts with the goal of extracting answers rather than understanding context or nuance. Many educators are rethinking assignments to encourage direct interaction with primary sources and reflective discussion instead of passive AI-aided comprehension. The article highlights how this shift challenges long-standing educational goals of teaching students how to think, not just what to produce.
The piece also presents differing perspectives among educators. Some see AI as a helpful scaffold—a tool that can free students from mechanical tasks and let them focus on creativity and synthesis. Others warn that overreliance on AI could lead to intellectual complacency, where students depend on algorithmic reasoning instead of human judgment. Several schools are experimenting with blended learning models that combine AI’s efficiency with active reading and debate-based teaching.
Finally, the article concludes that the future of education will depend on finding the right balance between AI assistance and human cognition. Schools must teach digital literacy that includes understanding AI’s capabilities and limitations. The author argues that reading, reasoning, and reflection remain irreplaceable human skills—skills that must be intentionally cultivated even as AI becomes a constant classroom companion.
