King Embraces Responsible Use of AI

At King, we believe that the responsible use of technology is as crucial as its potential to innovate and transform. In this article, Director of Technology Innovation and Integration and Chair of Computer Science Craig Tunks explores how King is leading the way in teaching the ethical and responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI). This commitment ensures that students not only learn to leverage AI, but also understand their role as responsible citizens.

Artificial intelligence is transforming education, and King is at the forefront of this shift, weaving the technology into its policies, teaching practices, and student learning. The school has developed thoughtful policies for students and staff, which embrace AI's potential and ensure its responsible use. These policies support innovative exploration while maintaining clear boundaries. Students, for example, must use AI only with faculty permission and under appropriate guidance, ensuring that their engagement with the technology is purposeful and well directed.

Teachers at King are finding new ways to use AI to improve efficiency and provide more personalized learning experiences. Tools like Diffit and Magic School help educators adjust reading materials to match students’ comprehension levels, making challenging content more accessible. These innovations are helping the faculty better meet the diverse needs of their students.

The most exciting developments are happening in the classrooms, where AI enhances student engagement and learning. Ben Lovewell, a science faculty member, has incorporated AI into the science fair process by using Magic School to develop a chatbot that helps students refine their project topics. In art classes, Art and Design teacher Ran LaPolla encourages students to recreate famous artists' works using only descriptive style words, blending creativity with technological exploration. Meanwhile, Innovation Lab Coordinator Mike Fischthal works with students on comics by generating images with AI tools and brainstorming their final OPEN projects using ChatGPT.

AI-Enhanced Portraits Showcase the Diversity of Students' Interests

At King, students are empowered to dream big through hands-on projects, new technologies, and performances that showcase their talents. In this magazine, you'll meet some of them. Their passions are captured in AI-enhanced portraits, offering a glimpse into the vibrant student community. These images also reflect the school’s embrace of cutting-edge technology in preparing students for a rapidly changing world. At King, the possibilities are endless, and all students are equipped to chart their own paths.

Students are also finding personal and practical ways to engage with AI. A student in Grade 8, for example, is creating an AI chatbot for home use as part of the student’s READY Project, demonstrating both technical skill and ingenuity. In English classes, students are using AI for tasks like identifying counterarguments in essays, experimenting with paragraph structure and transitions, and even analyzing the stylistic features of Walt Whitman’s poetry by asking AI to imitate his writing. These exercises deepen their understanding of writing mechanics while fostering critical thinking about AI’s capabilities and limitations.

King students are also taking leadership roles in understanding AI’s impact. A subcommittee of the peer review board surveyed students across the Upper School about their perspectives on AI, compiling their findings into a presentation for the school’s leadership team. In history, teacher Ian Lear-Nickum regularly asks his students to use AI to summarize complex historical developments and critique the quality of the generated content, helping them refine their analytical skills. In science lessons, Jay Hill tasks students with using AI to generate scientific diagrams, which they then evaluate for accuracy and representational validity, strengthening their understanding of core scientific concepts.

Through its innovative policies, creative teaching practices, and thoughtful integration into the curriculum, King is setting a standard for how AI can empower students and teachers alike. By encouraging exploration and critical engagement, the school is preparing its community for a future where technology and education continue to evolve.