🤔 AI Ethics: One Big Question
Is it fair that AI can write essays? Discuss.
🔥 Warm Up — 2 minutes
Ask: "Imagine a student who uses AI to write their entire school essay — then hands it in as their own work. Is that cheating? Why or why not?"
"There is no single right answer here. Today we think it through — and then we ask AI what it thinks."
🤖 The Activity — 15 minutes
Today is a discussion session. Less typing, more thinking.
Part 1 — Your child's position
Give them 3 minutes to argue their view on the essay question. You listen. No interrupting.
Part 2 — Ask AI
Read together. Ask: which perspective is most convincing? Did AI say anything that changed your child's mind?
Part 3 — Extend the question
Pick one of these new questions. Have a 5-minute discussion about it. Let your child lead.
🧩 The Twist — 5 minutes
AI will resist giving a definitive answer — it will give qualifications and perspectives. Ask: Why will AI not give a straight yes or no? Is that good or bad? Answer: these are genuinely contested questions where a single answer would be irresponsible. This is one of AI's better qualities.
Today's session was about thinking through exactly why this rule exists — not just accepting it as a rule. Your child has now reasoned about it themselves. A rule understood is a rule followed.
Ethics Thinker Badge 🤔
Reasoned through a hard AI ethics question — and formed an independent view
Parent Notes — tap to expand
▼Ethical reasoning about AI — the habit of asking not just whether AI can do something but whether it should. This is one of the most important thinking skills for the AI era.
- Did your view change during the discussion?
- What is the strongest argument against your position?
- What is one AI ethics question you would want to discuss with your class?
Some children find ethical ambiguity frustrating — they want a clear right answer. Sit with the discomfort: "Some questions are genuinely hard. Thinking carefully about them matters even when there is no single answer."
If your child's school has a policy on AI use — this is a good session to discuss it. What are the rules? Do they make sense? What would you change?