Sinclair students debate whether AI literacy should be required curriculum

Sinclair Student Government organized the Sinclair Debate Series at Sinclair College on March 18. The topic discussed was whether AI literacy should be a required part of college education. The debate featured Elijah Thompson arguing in favor and Caleb Smiley arguing against the topic.

Thompson made the case that AI has become too important to ignore in today’s world. He explained that integrating AI into college curriculum would help students learn how to use it responsibly and effectively. Since AI is already being used in many industries, teaching students about it would better prepare them for future careers and prevent misuse.

On the other hand, Smiley argued that AI is not relevant to every field. He pointed out that areas like agriculture, mental health and sociology still rely heavily on human judgment and supervision, making AI less applicable. He also raised concerns that AI can encourage laziness and inefficiency, as people may rely on it to quickly find answers instead of thinking critically. Additionally, he mentioned that easy access to AI tools increases the risk of plagiarism.

Overall, the debate highlighted both the growing importance of AI in education and the potential drawbacks of over-reliance on it. It showed that while AI literacy can be beneficial, it also raises important questions about how it should be used responsibly. At the end of the debate, the microphone was passed to the audience, allowing attendees to raise questions and engage directly with the speakers.