How To Use AI The Right Way

With teenagers turning to generative artificial intelligence for school and beyond, parents should guide them on proper use instead of restricting them

- Venessa Lee

When Caleb Teo, 16, uses artificial intelligence (AI) tools, it is always related to school, he says.

The Year 1 student at a junior college (JC) says: "Usually, I'll try and think of the response first, but when I'm tired or frustrated, I'll turn to ChatGPT. Sometimes, I forget a concept and it triggers my memory enough so that I can answer the question myself."

While he does not use generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) tools often, he found ChatGPT useful for preparing for his O-level oral examination in 2024. He would "test" himself and ask ChatGPT to provide feedback and "grade" his oral responses.

Other times, AI is not as helpful. "It will blurt out everything to do with the topic. Some points are not in my syllabus and I can't use all the material," he says.

Caleb is like the majority of his peers when it comes to using AI, according to a survey released in February.

The survey by Google and the non-profit Centre for Evidence and Implementation (CEI) found parents in Singapore reporting that 83 per cent of their teens use Gen AI tools at least once a week, for a variety of purposes.