The Core Vocabulary: AI Terms Explained Simply

Here are the most common terms you will hear, explained without the technical jargon:

Artificial Intelligence (AI): A broad term for computer systems programmed to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence. This includes things like recognizing speech (like Siri or Alexa), translating languages, or making decisions.
Generative AI (GenAI): A specific type of AI that can create brand new content—like text, images, music, or computer code—based on instructions you give it. Instead of just searching for existing information, it generates original responses.
Machine Learning (ML): The process by which computers "learn" from data. Instead of being explicitly programmed to do one specific thing, the computer is given massive amounts of information and learns to spot patterns on its own.
Large Language Model (LLM): The technology powering text-based AI bots. Imagine a computer that has "read" billions of articles, books, and websites to understand how human language works. It uses this vast knowledge to predict, word by word, the best way to answer a question.
Prompt: The instruction, question, or command you type into an AI tool. The quality of an AI’s answer depends entirely heavily on the quality of the prompt. (Teaching kids "prompt engineering"—how to ask good questions—is becoming a vital skill).
Hallucination: When an AI confidently presents false, fabricated, or nonsensical information as fact. AI doesn't "know" things; it predicts words. Sometimes, it predicts the wrong ones, which is why students must always verify AI-generated facts.
Deepfake: A synthetic video, audio recording, or image that has been digitally altered by AI to make it look or sound like someone is doing or saying something they never did.

The Big Players: Services and Tools to Know

Students today have access to a variety of AI tools. Some are general-purpose, while others are built specifically for education.

General Purpose AI Chatbots

These are the most common stand-alone general purpose AI tooIs to complete tasks.

ChatGPT (by OpenAI): The tool that started the current AI boom. It is highly capable of writing essays, solving math problems, and answering complex questions. Blocked to CUSD200 students
Google Gemini: Google’s AI assistant. Because it is integrated into the Google ecosystem (which many schools use), students may encounter it frequently. Only available Gr. 9-12
Claude (by Anthropic): Another highly capable chatbot, known for having strict safety guardrails and a focus on producing helpful, harmless, and honest text. Blocked to CUSD200 students

Note: These are the main players in the general purpose chatbot space but many others do exist.

Signs to Watch For (The "Heads Up" List)

We in CUSD200 try to be very intentional when students are exposed to the concept of AI. We consistently express that 'order matters' meaning that students should master core skills without the aid of AI before attempting to offload cognitive tasks to a machine. However, we know that there are a number of AI tools on the internet and it is tempting for students to take the 'path of least resistance' in completing a task. Therefore, we ask that parents take a vested interest in observing how their students are going about completing tasks assigned to them by teachers. Here are some general tells that students may be over relying on an AI tool or using an AI tool when it has not been approved by a student's teacher.

The "Vibe" Shift: The writing sounds like a professional corporate memo rather than for example, your typical 8th grader. It’s grammatically perfect but feels "hollow" or lacks their usual voice and authorship.
The "Instant" Essay: A complex three-page paper appears in one hour with no rough drafts, scratched-out notes, or open research tabs.
The "Hallucination" Trap: A student's work mentions things that don't exist, like citations or specific dates. A critical skill a student should have in the age of AI is to be able to critically evaluate information.
The "Black Box" Explanation: When you ask, "How did you come up with this idea?" they give a vague answer like, "I just searched for it," but can't explain the logic behind the argument.
The Grade Mismatch: Whether using AI or not does a student's performance on in-class tasks or homework match that of larger, more comprehensive assessments? A mismatch in achievement could be a sign that a deeper conversation needs to be had.

Conversation Starters: Opening the Door

The best way to see how your student is using AI is to let them be the expert. Try these curiosity-based questions:

"I’ve been hearing a lot about [ChatGPT/Gemini] lately. Have any of your friends or teachers been using it for class?" (This is a low-pressure way to see if it's even on their radar).
"Show me how you use AI to get started on a project. I'm curious how it helps you brainstorm."
"Which AI tools does your school say are okay to use, and which ones are off-limits?"

Building Critical Thinking

While we believe that our oldest students can benefit from using AI in the right circumstances, we do want to make sure it does not come at the cost of developing critical thinking skills. So, if you know your student is using AI, use these questions to turn it into a learning moment:

"Did the AI ever give you an answer that felt a little... weird or biased?"
"If you turned this in and your teacher asked you to rewrite it without a computer right now, would you know enough to do it?" (This is the ultimate test of "cognitive offloading").
"How do you make sure your own 'voice' doesn't get lost when you use these tools?
"Were you able to create something better with the aid of AI that you couldn't have done on your own?"

Community Unit School District 200

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