My high schooler sibling uses an ai homework helper and I'm worried about them

[JohnOORT]

I'm a college junior, and my younger sibling is in high school. I recently found out they're using an ai homework helper for almost all their assignments. Not just for help—they're literally copying and pasting answers. I tried to talk to them about it, and they just shrugged and said, 'Everyone does it. It's not a big deal.' I'm genuinely worried. They're not learning how to write, how to think critically, or how to struggle through a hard problem. What's going to happen when they get to college and the expectations are higher? Have any other college students seen this with younger siblings? How do you talk to a teenager who thinks they've found a life hack and doesn't see the long-term consequences? I don't want to be the preachy older sibling, but I also don't want to watch them set themselves up for failure.

 

[MateoBrown]

You're right to worry, and you're also right that being preachy won't work.

Here's a different angle: ask them what they want to do after high school. If they say college, ask them to imagine showing up to a freshman comp class having never written a real essay. That first paper? It's gonna be brutal. AI can't help during in-class timed writes or exams.

If they're not college-bound, ask about their career interests. Most jobs require actual thinking—problem-solving, writing emails, communicating with coworkers. AI isn't there yet, and employers notice when new hires can't function without it.

Also, maybe suggest they use AI DIFFERENTLY—as a tutor, not a crutch. "Explain this concept to me like I'm 10" is learning. "Write my essay" is not.