What Do Teens Actually Think About AI?
Featuring the teen POV on artificial intelligence, social media bans, and more!
đHey!!! Itâs Ally and Olivia â you made it to our second edition of In The Loop, your monthly dose of digital well-being for teens by teens.
This monthâs edition is all about artificial intelligence, better known as AI. More specifically, what the teens think about it.
AI is something that is becoming more and more prevalent in our everyday routines and itâs about time we discuss how itâs really impacting our lives.
Turns out, it can be used for both good and bad. Keep scrolling to see what we mean and for a fun surprise!
At #HalfTheStory, we look at both sides of the internet, so here are the latest trends you should know and who knowsâŠmaybe watch out for đ
đ„Whatâs Hot:
Whatâs The âRich Girlâ Trend? đž Have you seen those TikTokâs where people have been posting videos with the song âRich Girlâ by Hall & Oates and listing things like family, friends, hobbies, etc. that make them rich in ways other than money!? We love this trend because it promotes gratitude and self-love.
Fan Edits!!! đ„đ We know you went through that phase in middle school creating edits of your favorite Disney Channel showâŠThey are a super creative side of the internet and keep us entertained without being problematic (for the most part).
AI that detects cyberbullying?? âĄïž Check out Gitanjali Raoâs Kindly, an app integration that uses machine learning to detect cyberbullying in messages đ. Test it out here!
đWhatâs Not:
DEEP FAKES! đ We know theyâre an issue, but it turns out that these deep fakes are hurting the upcoming U.S. Presidential Election. Our teen advisor, Nina, shares her thoughts here.
đ±đ« Social Media Bans GaloreâŠThe past month has been FILLED with talks about social media bans left and right. First, the U.S. House passed a bill to ban TikTok. Not ringing a bell? Check out this 60-second explanation from Oliver.
Last week, Floridaâs governor Ron DeSantis passed a bill that could ban social
media from kids under 14. What will this mean?
đ„We want to hear from YOU! Fill out this quick survey to share your thoughts on these bans and be entered into a giveaway for a $30 gift card!
It feels like AI is everywhere nowadays and there are a lot of mixed opinions on it. However, we want to hear what the teens think, so we interviewed Zenia Rehan, one of our teen advisors, about AI.
Ally: Hey Zenia! Thanks for joining me! My first question is are you currently using AI and if so, how?
Zenia: I like to use AI such as ChatGPT as a source of inspiration. For example, when brainstorming ideas for a workshop, I might turn to AI to help me develop a few ideas. Most of the time, none of the ideas are ones I find interest in, but they help me get my brain running and could be used as a foundation to expand on. Another way I like to use AI is to straighten out my thoughts. This could mean asking it to find me the perfect word to describe a situation, or ensuring that my writing is clear enough to understand.
Ally: Thatâs awesome! What would you say are the pros and cons?
Zenia: The pros of AI, as mentioned earlier, are that it can help smoothen out your thinking process in both the starting and editing phases of any project. I think this can also be a con, however, since I feel as though relying too heavily on AI may be affecting my creativity. I believe it is important that we take the time to brainstorm and edit on our own before turning to AI.
Ally: Now, as we know, a lot of the dialogue around this topic is happening among adults. What are adults telling you about AI?
Zenia: I have gotten a lot of mixed messaging about AI from adults. While some share their excitement about its potential, many critique its tendency to make students lazy. The latter is an argument quite often brought up in a school environment where teachers have to worry about the authenticity of their studentsâ assignments.
Ally: I can agree with that. Thereâs definitely a lot to unpack. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with us!
This April, #HalfTheStory did a Spring Digital Dustoff Challenge on our Instagram! Here is one of the challenges:
We spend a lot of time behind a screen đ». Itâs unavoidable most times. But that doesnât mean our digital spaces shouldnât be productive! đ
Our fav way to do thisâŠthe Freedom App! You can create time-limited blocklists, listen to calming sound effects and music, and even read some tips about maximizing productivity right on the app! đșđ
Do yourself a favor and turn on Do Not Disturbđ, block all distractionsđ€ł, and get some work doneđ!
We couldnât end this edition without mentioning Olivia Rodrigoâs newest releases! If you havenât heard them yet, RUN! Itâs about time we all start entering our healing eraâŠ
Thanks for scrolling along with us! Donât leave us on read! âŠsubscribeâŠweâll be back next month! In the meantime, stay 'In The Loopâ daily by keeping up with us @halfthestory on all socials! đ€©
P.S. Donât forget to fill out the survey to get a chance to win a $30 gift card!
