Opinion: Should we let AI do the thinking for students?

Adrian Camm, the principal of a school in Melbourne, has created a “digital twin” of himself. It looks like him, talks like him. With just 15 minutes of voice training, the AI twin can now speak to parents and knows 100 other languages that Mr. Camm himself doesn’t know. For him, this is a way to reach more people. Parents can ask questions any time, and the school is open about how it uses AI. This is helpful no doubt. For students the use of AI has also gone to a next level. Age 5 students are using AI to make video games, generate art and more. One student proudly asked AI to create “a shark in a pink tutu riding a surfboard,” and within seconds, it appeared on her screen.

This is fun and creative, but it raises a bigger question: Are students even learning to think for themselves when AI is doing so much  for them? 

Research suggests a danger. A study from MIT showed that students who relied on AI had weaker brain activity than those who worked without it. 

In simple terms: AI can make work easier, but it can also make the brain lazier.

Experts like UNSW lecturer Jake Renzella warn that students may become too dependent on these tools. If learning is handed over to AI, skills like curiosity, problem-solving, and persistence could be lost. Some teachers say students are writing more and using stronger vocabulary. In this way, AI helps without replacing effort. And that’s the key. AI should be a support, not a substitute. It can help students explore ideas and improve their work, but it should never do the hard thinking for them. Mr Camm’s digital twin may be clever, but it cannot teach resilience, empathy, or independent thought. Those lessons still need real teachers, not avatars.