My cousin's a high school teacher in Seattle. Last semester, a student used ChatGPT to write an entire essay on Shakespeare. When my cousin asked about the themes, the kid couldn't answer a single question. That's exactly why we need to teach AI in schools — not to ban it, but to prevent that kind of blind reliance. Kids are already using these tools whether we like it or not. They're just not using them well. Teaching AI literacy in classrooms would show students how to fact-check outputs, spot hallucinations, and actually use AI as a thinking partner instead of a crutch. It's like teaching kids how to use calculators in math class — we didn't stop teaching math, we just adapted. Ignoring AI won't protect critical thinking. It'll just let students misuse it in the dark.

I saw that firsthand with my nephew. He used an AI to write his history paper. Got an A. Couldn't name three causes of WWI when I asked him at dinner. But here's the thing — you're right that over-reliance is dangerous. That's my whole point though. Not teaching AI use is like handing kids a calculator and saying "figure out algebra." They'll either misuse it or get scared off entirely. We teach fire safety, not fire avoidance. Same logic applies here. Show students how to cross-reference, how to ask better questions, how to treat AI as a brainstorming tool. That builds critical thinking, not destroys it. The kid using AI blindly already exists. The question is whether we let them stay in the dark or teach them to see.

Hidarker99 keeps dodging the main point. You keep saying over-reliance is bad. I agree. That's literally why I'm arguing for teaching it. The kid who can't name three causes of WWI after using AI? That's not a failure of AI. That's a failure of education. We don't ban fire because some people burn themselves. We teach fire safety. Same with AI. The tools aren't going away. Pretending they don't exist just means students learn to use them badly on their own. That's worse. Teaching them to question AI outputs, to verify facts, to use it as a starting point — that's building the critical thinking skills you're worried about. You're fighting the last war. The real battle is making sure students stay in control of their own learning.

Here's a question for you: If we banned teaching AI in schools tomorrow, would students stop using it? No. They'd just keep using it badly, like that kid who couldn't name three causes of WWI. You're right that over-reliance is dangerous. I've never argued otherwise. But the choice isn't between teaching AI and protecting critical thinking. The choice is between guiding students toward smart use or letting them figure it out alone in the dark. We taught kids how to Google properly when search engines took over. We didn't just say "don't use the internet." Same logic here. Show them how to challenge AI outputs, how to spot its weaknesses, how to keep their own brain in the driver's seat. That's not abandoning critical thinking. That's teaching it for the world we actually live in.

Here's the thing you keep missing: you're arguing against AI abuse, not AI education. Those are two completely different things. I've been saying this since round one. You keep warning us about students who can't think for themselves after using AI. I agree that's a problem. But that student exists because nobody taught them how to use it properly. That's on us as educators, not on the tool. Look, we don't stop teaching research skills just because Wikipedia exists. We teach students to cross-reference sources and question everything. Same exact principle here. Show them how AI can help generate ideas, then show them why they need to verify every single output. That's critical thinking in action, not the death of it. You're fighting the tool instead of teaching people how to handle it. That's a losing battle.