Of AI and Our Desire to Believe the Kids are Alright
We need thoughtful commentary on tech’s implications for learning. However, John McWhorter’s recent Atlantic essay was disappointing.
John McWhorter, a Columbia linguistics professor and New York Times columnist, usually provides insightful writing and good sense. But his essay "My Students Use AI. So What?" was glibly unserious and embodied a kind of seductive tech surrender.
Plenty of cultural critics argue that this is worrisome—that the trend of prizing images over the written word, short videos over books, will plunge us all into communal stupidity. I believe they are wrong.
McWhorter shrugs off concerns about ubiquitous phones, social media, and AI shortcuts, even in his own "book-crammed home" where his tween-age daughters’ eyes are "likely to be glued to a screen.
Author's summary: Questioning the implications of AI on learning.