Artificial Intelligence is so overlooked these days people forget that every time you go on social media, you’re only a few seconds away from AI-made content.
As of January 2026, up to 12% of the U.S. population and 13.3% of the global population uses AI daily according to data information platform Resourcera. “This means close to one in every ten people on Earth is now an AI user.” But what about, how AI affects educational spaces?
Few members of iCamp give their opinions on this matter. But of the people who do, each touch very different perspectives on AI usage and its consequences. Professional journalist and iCamp instructor Earl Hopkins, 29, said AI can be beneficial if used strategically. “When AI is used sparingly, it can be a resourceful tool,” he said. “But by and large, I think that AI can be detrimental.”
iCamp supports the idea of creativity and use of critical thinking. Use of unnecessary AI doesn’t align with the firmly established position of people – like Hopkins – who work on giving young students a mechanism to express their creativity.
There’s another much bigger issue with AI. People aren’t the only ones who suffer from AI usage. “I would say the environment is the biggest one,” Hopkins said, “because it uses so much of our natural resources and energy. So, seeing how many trees we’re cutting down … seeing data centers pop up, especially in predominantly black neighborhoods and areas, is disheartening.”
Realizing how much it affects people and the environment all around, is a reminder that it isn’t a personal issue. It’s something that affects people in various ways at mass scale.
Jordan Black, one of the many counselors at iCamp, said AI influences the gaming industry as well. From the perspective of someone working in the gaming field, he said it’s hard to always be on top of AI usage in students’ work.
“It’s hard for teachers, at least in my field, because you wouldn’t be able to tell,” Black said. “Different fields encounter different struggles that come with AI usage. It is important to encourage critical thinking use or it can be damaging to our society. While harmful, Black admits it’s “addicting.” “It’s almost like a drug, and it cripples your creative thinking.”
It’s hard to realize how much AI carries over in people’s lives. iCamp faculty encourages youth to use their voice, vision, and critical thinking to ensure there’s a better future for incoming students down the road.
The purpose of iCamp is to affirm students’ voices when addressing issues that affect them in their community. All members of the iCamp community commit to those values. It’s valuable to celebrate students’ creativity, and encourage them to reflect on current social issues, and motivate them to continue moving in a positive direction – even when they depart the program.