Abhinav Anthati

Student using ChatGPT to solve a physics problem.

Students today live with the ease of doing almost anything with just a click. However, the convenience of these technologies, including AI tools and food delivery apps, raises questions about the impact on students’ work ethic and development of skills.

There has been an increase in teenagers using fast food delivery services since the pandemic. 69% of Gen Z uses food-delivery services, almost four times more than baby boomers. 

Although convenient, these services can create health issues, as people tend to order food from fast-food restaurants more frequently. The reason for this is that people in Gen Z are too busy to cook or have simply never learned how to. “I’m fortunate enough to have parents who have the time to provide me with delicious, homemade meals during the school year,” said senior Himanshu Jangid. 

Students are also now using AI tools like ChatGPT and Google Gemini to quickly and effortlessly complete their schoolwork. They can simply take a photo or screenshot of a problem and the latest Chat-GPT 4 model can interpret and solve it. 

AI generation tools can even translate text to and from different languages and can also outline and write essays. “Using ChatGPT to outline or ‘come up with ideas’ may seem like an honest thing to do, but in reality, it’s hard to consider that totally yours. 

The point of learning in school is to gain skills that are needed in daily life. “Even so, a case can be made that it is no different than gathering inspiration from other sources, but the whole point of writing in school is not to get a grade, it’s to learn that art. The only thing you’re short selling is your own development,” said Jangid, a student in AP Literature. 

There are many concerns about the effects these tools have on students. Students may develop poor time management skills due to a lack of work ethic these technologies have imposed. 

Eventually, using AI to do work can lead to a deficit in essential skills such as problem-solving and critical thinking. “AI doesn’t teach you skills, it gives you answers. It is going to just hinder creative thought for future generations,” said French teacher Melissa Lechtenberg.

While convenience is the future, over-reliance on AI tools and excessive use of food delivery apps can have a negative effect on students. To maintain a good work ethic, stay healthy and develop good skills, students should use these tools in moderation and instead embrace hard work and critical thinking.