I gave my third graders one question with no scaffolding, as part of a decision-making unit.

Most of my students have never used a generative AI system. Their intuitions formed before the exposure.

A new study finds AI affirms users 49 percent more than humans, even in cases of deception and illegality.

I teach a decision-making unit to my elementary students. The point is not to tell them what to decide but to teach them how to weigh decisions. Last week, I gave them a dilemma and asked them to reason through it on their own. No warm-up. No framing. No hint of which side I take. I drop the question on the whiteboard, give them a Post-it Note, and I sit down.

Should the teacher be allowed to use AI to give you feedback on your writing? What decision would you make here as a kid?

Should the teacher be allowed to use AI to give you feedback on your writing? What decision would you make here as a kid?

Most of my students have never used a generative AI system. They are 8 and 9 years old. They know the word AI because it's now in the lexicon of conversation. Adults talk about it, and some parents experiment with their kids. They know what AI is from current culture, but they don’t understand it conceptually. So how did they answer this question, and why does this matter to understanding the natural intuition of children?

Thoughts on a Post-It

One student wrote this.

Techers are not allow to use AI because that is not what AI suppose to do. The techers do. AI could make mistakes and AI could write something not conected.

Techers are not allow to use AI because that is not what AI suppose to do. The techers do. AI could make mistakes and AI could write something not conected.

Read it again. A third grader who has never used ChatGPT intuited two of the central concerns in the........

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