AI: Tool or Threat?

Written By Michael Stoll

It’s now been a few years since AI seemed to take over classrooms, workplace productivity, and many other aspects of daily life. It’s hard for students to remember the time before AI was widely used and normalized. With free tools widely accessible such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini, various photo generators, and sound generators amongst many more, that leads to a question of whether AI in its current use is a tool or rather a threat!

It’s common knowledge now that students use AI to cheat, turn in work that isn't entirely their own, amongst other nefarious reasons. However, that’s not the full story. AI can also be used productively and ethically.

Whenever I think about AI “taking over” society and the frantic reactions we’ve had, I remember learning in class that we’ve been through similar moments before. In the 1920s, many believed radio would take over and corrupt the minds of young people. However, as we know, radio became a tool for information and entertainment. In the 1950s, television became the newest scare, once again with people fearing it would corrupt the youth. Yet it, too, became a tool for information and entertainment. More recently, in the 1990s and early 2000s, the internet sparked similar concerns, and today, we rely on it daily. Now in the 2020s, AI is the cultural phenomenon we must learn to use in an ethical and responsible way.

So that leads us to think: How can we utilize AI as a tool rather than a threat?

Here are some of my thoughts:

1. Use it to help generate ideas

a. We’ve all gotten stuck on an assignment, not knowing where to start or how to

continue a paragraph. Using AI to generate ideas can help get your brain moving.

This does NOT mean having it write your work for you. Instead, it can serve as a

brainstorming partner.

b. If you’ve already written a paper but feel like something is missing, you can ask

AI to check your grammar, enhance clarity, or suggest vocabulary improvements.

Be sure to have it highlight the changes it makes so you can review and approve

them yourself.

c. From a PR perspective, creativity is key. However, even the most creative

individuals can struggle to develop fresh campaign ideas. AI can generate lists of

trending brands, songs, or cultural moments to help spark inspiration for a PR

campaign. The ideas should start with you, AI simply helps fuel the process.

2. Use it to summarise a document

a. Long documents can be very time consuming. One way to use AI effectively is to

upload a document and have it summarize key points and highlight important

details. It’s ALWAYS important to double check the information. Ask AI to include

page numbers or direct quotes so you can easily verify accuracy and context.

3. Use it to create images, backgrounds, templates

a. In my German class, we had to create a children’s story and present it in

slideshow format. Instead of spending hours illustrating each slide, I used an AI

image generator to create visuals. However, specificity is critical. For example,

I had to describe the dog’s fur color, the house’s placement, and the child’s

clothing to get accurate results. AI works best when your prompts are detailed

and intentional.

4. New technology in Action: Weather Models

a. As we hunker down for the Blizzard of 2026, you might hear a meteorologist

explain that AI models were used to help generate snowfall projections, track

storm movement, and summarize potential impacts. Remarkably, in recent

winters, some AI-assisted weather models have proven more accurate than

traditional forecasting methods, highlighting how technological advancements

can enhance existing systems rather than replace them entirely.

With all this being said, it's very important for you to make your own informed decision about how you use AI. There is real hesitancy surrounding this technology, and many see it as a threat to jobs, creativity and work ethic. If you believe it crosses ethical boundaries, you are entitled to that perspective.

However, If you believe AI is the future (as I do), then let's get ahead of the curb and learn how to use it responsibly and strategically. Who knows what the world will look like in ten years? One thing is certain: adaptability and willingness to embrace new technologies will always be valuable, and will make you highly marketable in an evolving job market.