The Rise of A.I.

1. Set Focus
Pose this essential question to guide discussion: How might artificial intelligence change the way we live in the future?

2. List Vocabulary
Share with students some of the challenging vocabulary words in this article. Encourage them to use context to infer meanings as they read.

• artificial intelligence (p. 8)
• algorithm (p. 8)
• indistinguishable (p. 9)
• cumbersome (p. 9)
• duplicate (p. 9)
• objective (p. 10)

3. Engage
Explain to students that artificial intelligence (A.I.) is what allows driverless cars to function without input from a driver. Then have students brainstorm other ways our lives are controlled or heavily influenced by A.I.

4. Read 
Have students read the article, marking the text to note key ideas or questions.

5. Discuss
Distribute or project Up Close: The Rise of A.I., a close-reading activity for students to work on in small groups. (Note: The questions on the PDF also appear on the following page of this lesson, with possible responses.) Follow up with a class discussion. If you’re short on time, have each group tackle one or two of the questions. Collect students’ work or have each group report its findings to the class.

• As used in the title of the article, what is the meaning of rise? Which details in the subtitle indicate this? (Word meaning, visual analysis) (As used in the title of the article, the word rise means to become more pervasive and more powerful. In the subtitle, the detail “increasingly becoming a part of our everyday lives” indicates the “pervasive” aspect of how the word is being used. And the question in the subtitle about whether we should fear A.I. indicates the “powerful” aspect of how the word is being used.)

• Why do you think the author begins the article with an anecdote about TikTok rather than one about driverless cars or wildfire modeling? Consider the intended audience for the article. (Author’s purpose, text structure) (The intended audience for the article is teen readers, who likely have more familiarity with TikTok than with driverless cars or wildfire modeling. By beginning the article with a use of A.I. that teen readers are likely to be familiar with, the author is better able to capture the interest of readers and make the topic feel relevant to their lives.)

• Based on details in the article, what are some of the pros of A.I.? What are some of the cons? Which con is most concerning to you? Why? (Compare & contrast, key details) (Pros include that A.I. can provide information quickly, such as a movie recommendation. It can analyze vast amounts of data to help with addressing climate change issues. And it can detect tumors and create new medicines. Cons include that it reflects the biases of the humans who programmed it, leading to false arrests; it might replace human workers; and it could result in “killer robots.” Opinions about the most concerning con will vary.)

• In the article, Sasha Luccioni says, “Now would be a great time to stop and think about the progress we’re making” with A.I. Based on details in the article, why is now a great time to assess how we develop and use A.I.? What might happen if we don’t? (Claims and evidence, make inferences) (Now is a great time to assess what A.I. is capable of, what it might soon be capable of, and what problems might arise in relation to it because it is not yet that intelligent. Therefore, we have the ability to set standards and laws for how it should be developed and used that might be difficult to implement later. If we don’t assess the situation now, A.I. might become so intelligent that it ends up controlling us rather than us controlling it.) 

• What solutions does the article discuss for ensuring that humans remain in control of A.I.? (Problem & solution) (One solution is for international laws to be put in place to ensure that humans remain in control of A.I. Another solution is for A.I. research teams to be diverse and to consider the ethics of their work and how to more thoughtfully develop the technology. Other solutions include putting laws in place to restrict how A.I. can be used and banning the use of racially biased algorithms.) 

• What does the sidebar “Fighting for Fair A.I.” add to the article? (Integrate sources)(The sidebar adds to the last section of the article—which explains how experts are attempting to solve the problems associated with A.I.—by describing how youth advocates are speaking up to ensure A.I. is used ethically. The sidebar also makes the point that young people will be most affected by A.I. yet currently have the least say in its development.)

6. Writing Prompt
Imagine your life 20 years from now—a time when A.I. will likely be even more prevalent and powerful than it is today. Write a diary entry telling how your day has been influenced or controlled by A.I.

7. Video
Watch the video about A.I. What does it add to your understanding of the article?

8. Classroom Debate
Should facial recognition be banned as a tool for criminal identification?

9. Quiz & Skills
Use the quiz to assess students’ comprehension and Organizing Ideas to review outlining skills.