A Conversation About AI
Tiger Cub: I’m terrible at using AI. It’s embarrassing, given how much I know about it. I even wrote a speech about regulating AI and was a research assistant for an AI legal ethics class. Despite that, I’m not comfortable using it. You’re a massive fan, though.
Tiger Mom: I find AI incredibly useful, but it’s just a tool – like a calculator or online search. Learning to use it well is a skill that changes how we do things. I’ve trained ChatGPT and Claude to understand my writing style, which helps me with research, brainstorming, and critique. I don’t use AI to write for me, as writing should be rooted in original thought.
Tiger Cub: AI should be second nature to me, but it’s a skill that needs to be learned. My high school both encourages and discourages AI use. We have access to school-connected Gemini accounts, but using AI often results in lower marks in certain classes. When a teacher suggested using AI for brainstorming, I didn’t bother as it would’ve been a hassle for such a small task.
Tiger Mom: I understand the school’s approach. When you were younger, I taught you basic math so you could understand advanced concepts. Similarly, students should master writing, reasoning, and thinking before leveraging AI. My friend Li Fan said, “You won’t be replaced by AI; you’ll be replaced by someone who knows how to harness AI.”
Tiger Cub: AI deals with open-ended questions, but its answers depend on how you ask. It can’t create something with the intent of furthering a philosophy like my favorite artist, Mondrian. AI generates based on patterns, not understanding the underlying philosophy. While AI can copy styles, it can’t replicate human creativity or emotion.
Tiger Mom: That’s why I want schools to teach kids to ask better questions and examine problems from different angles. The future belongs to those who know how to ask the right questions, not just those with answers. As technology evolves, we must change with it. AI is a transformative technology, just like personal computers and mobile phones were in their time.
Tiger Cub: AI doesn’t create new ideas; it repurposes existing ones. While life is built on repurposed ideas, some problems require breaking new ground. AI is limited by its training data and can’t replicate the human touch. Humans matter because AI can’t truly embody human experience, storytelling, and emotion.
