AI And Students: Allies, Not Adversaries

Photos by Allen Liu ’28

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Raon Kang ’28

The release of OpenAI’s chatbot, ChatGPT, in late 2022 led to a substantial paradigm shift in students’ learning, not only at NMH but in numerous educational institutions across the globe. While the customary style of education required students to take full responsibility for their own learning, students are now more dependent on the chatbot that runs on a large database. Entering the 25-26 school year, NMH began implementing an Artificial Intelligence scale chart that specifies and limits AI involvement for each assignment. Despite this effort, the guideline sometimes creates confusion among students on the extent to which AI can be used on their assignments, risking suspension or even dismissal from the school.

“I believe that NMH has the right intentions, but [having] clearer policies and better education around AI will allow better management among students,” said Avery Joung ‘28, a member of the NMH AI club, a group of students that researches and discusses AI. Amid students’ urgent calls for better management of AI, the faculty is working collaboratively with the students behind the scenes to combat this situation.

Grant Gonzalez, a faculty member in charge of the student congress, recently created an AI committee. Among the congress, four student representatives who are passionate about AI were chosen to work with Stephanie Charleour, a NMH librarian and the NMH Director of AI. Under the guidance of Mrs. Charlefour, each member communicates with the student body to reflect their opinions on how the school is dealing with, or should deal with, AI. They reach out to peers directly, creating spaces where the students can share their candid thoughts without external pressure. Once a month, they gather with Mrs. Charlefour to discuss what they have heard from the students and to devise initiatives the school can take as a whole.

“Our goal isn’t to treat AI as something to fear, but to help students use it wisely and in ways that truly support their learning,” said Mrs. Charlefour. With AI reshaping the world, the students must work with AI as allies, not mere adversaries. In the process of accomplishing this objective, she highlighted the importance of placing interactive communication with the students at the forefront. After all, it is the students’ own learning that the school is striving to preserve and enhance. Failing to represent the students’ thoughts and opinions is like trying to come up with a solution but not understanding the problem.

Currently, the AI committee is developing ways to teach AI holistically through NMH 360, orientation programs, classroom activities, and everyday conversations. By implementing these sessions, Mrs. Charlefour said she attempted to “help students understand not only what AI can do, but also how to use it responsibly and ethically.” Not only in academia, but in society as a whole, AI has become an omnipresent tool in numerous fields, including healthcare, national security, and public service. Thus, in a world where AI thrives, educating students about its functions enables them to envision AI’s impacts on their future. In addition, by acknowledging some of its potential threats, students can navigate the use of this tool responsibly. “No matter which path [the students] choose, we want them to leave [NMH] ready to thrive in a world where AI is part of everyday life and to step into the future with confidence rather than uncertainty,” said Mrs. Charlefour.

Early this academic year, Mrs. Charlefour publicized the NMH chatbot to the student congress. She credited Themba Flowers, the NMH Director of Information Technology, who, with an intern, created the prototype HoggerBot/ NMH Optimize over the summer. While this chatbot works like any other large language model out on the internet, it has been trained on information specific to NMH. It is capable of generating quick answers about campus life, academic support, or other general questions about NMH.

From time to time, students can easily misunderstand rules and directions because they struggle to find someone to ask school-related questions. Nevertheless, with this powerful tool in their hand, they have a structured, detailed guide to any school-related information accessible at any time. By introducing this chatbot, Mrs. Charlefour sought to demonstrate how helpful AI can be without violating the students’ academic integrity. As such, the faculties are making tremendous efforts to communicate with the students about AI to help them better understand and utilize this tool in their learning. However, the students themselves are also taking the initiative on AI. Take, for instance, the newly founded student-led NMH AI club.

“Teaching students how AI interprets inputs and outputs could help students understand the functions of AI,” said Kian Lee ‘28, the founder of the AI club. Lee understood that having a solid understanding of its operating system is a prerequisite for delving deeper into the sub-fields of AI. Thus, for the first few weeks, the club largely operated by him giving out lectures and presentations about the structures and features of AI.

Once members became more informed on AI, they took turns presenting on its impacts on their own fields of interest. Most recently, Jason Noh ‘27 and June Suh ‘27 delivered a thought-provoking presentation on how AI is reshaping the healthcare industry. Their lecture contained a detailed explanation of pattern recognition through the use of AI that helps save brain cells. Lee hoped to convey that AI is not a mere tool for cheating the students’ way through assignments, but a vital technology that is implemented in almost every field and applicable in numerous regions. Moving forward, the club plans to host guest speakers and launch school-wide projects to go beyond the horizon and expand into the whole school community.

“AI can be an incredible resource, but it should never replace the curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking that define an NMH education,” said Mrs. Charlefour. Without a doubt, AI is cementing its position as the most prevalent and powerful technology installed in almost every industry. Despite the progress already made, the school should continue to find ways to weave AI into students’ learning. With all that in mind, at the core of NMH’s education is the motto: head, heart, hand. In the end, helping students grow as critical thinkers, problem-solvers, and compassionate community members becomes even more valuable in a world where AI is omnipresent.