This summer, I asked a group of high schoolers about how they use AI tools at home and in school.

It opened a floodgate.

The next hour was stories, frustrations, and feelings about a topic that is clearly weighing on them.

What struck me wasn’t just what they said about AI tools, but the sense of relief in having a space where they could talk openly about their experiences.

More than once, it was clear that others were going through the same frustrations. Different schools. Different places. Same feelings.

And it was apparent that these soon-to-be-adults felt they were stuck without an obvious way forward.

The Reality They’re Living

To be very (very!) clear, I’m not here to weigh in on the positives, negatives, or neutralities of AI. Different discussion. Different day.

This is simply an attempt to see things through the eyes of teenagers growing up in a world that’s very different from when I was in high school.

AI is changing education faster than schools can keep up. There was talk of confusion, unclear expectations, and acceptance that most high schoolers are “cheating” on homework and tests (their words, not mine).

There was an intense feeling of pressure to keep up, even if it meant using AI unethically (in an academic sense).

When I asked how this situation makes them feel, the responses came quickly:

Sad, mad, lost, frustrated. One even said she felt “embarrassed to try” if others were going to cut corners to get similar grades.

This wasn’t a group celebrating easy shortcuts. They were distressed about a situation with inconsistent rules and expectations.

This stuff is still so new.

It may be our job, as adults, to help our teenagers make sense of a rapidly changing world.

After hearing their frustrations and concerns, here is how we started to think about how they might navigate this evolving realm of AI.

Four Approaches

To me (and I’d love feedback on this), it seems like there will be at least four different groups moving forward.

Group 1: The Shortcut Users
AI is primarily used to cut corners and free up time for other activities. As one student put it: “Some kids use AI as a shortcut so they can spend more time on TikTok.”

Group 2: The Amplifiers
Here, AI is something that can make us more capable and productive. Amplifiers see AI as a set of tools to enhance creativity and accomplish more of what they want.

Group 3: The Zaggers
A few campers recognized the power of AI, but prioritized developing skills that AI can’t replace. One said he was interested in being a Master Electrician, because the profession suited his interests and would still be around in 30 years.

Group 4: The Wait-and-See Approach
Others were understandably unsure, and preferred a wait-and-see approach. That’s fair to an extent, but to editorialize slightly, AI tools aren’t going anywhere. It’s not a fad. The sooner we get comfortable with them, the sooner we can decide how they will best serve our goals.

There’s one big reason I bring all of this up: Teenagers need a chance to talk openly about this issue so they can make solid decisions about how to navigate it moving forward.

When I used the word “floodgate” at the beginning, it wasn’t an exaggeration.

If there was one thing that was clear to me this summer, it’s that our Senior Campers hadn’t had enough chances to talk openly with adults about AI.

A Camp Connection

It may seem odd for a tech-free summer camp to write about how kids can navigate a world of AI.

Your campers spent their days this summer swimming, playing games, and making friends around a campfire.

AI won’t change these camp experiences in any meaningful way.

Decades from now, we will still be building flexibility, resilience, and collaboration skills at camp.

Which is good, because kids will still need these core competencies no matter what the future holds (whether we’re colonizing Mars or being chased by T-1000s).

Camp isn’t going to solve our AI questions.

But that’s okay.

Camp helps build confidence to navigate the unfamiliar. It reminds us that we can lean on each other, and we can practice making decisions that are aligned with who we want to be.

And honestly, after listening to those high schoolers, I’m more convinced than ever these skills are exactly what this next generation is going to need.

These are durable human skills (that T-1000s will never have).

Erec Sir