THE COURIERALL ABOUT AI2840 East Orange Rd, Lewis Center, OH 430358 | FINAL FRIDAYorange’s state championship run17 | SUPERWOMANsenior gracelyn quaye’s successJANUARY VOLUME 18 | ISSUE 4effects of modern technology
TABLE OF CONTENTStable of contents | staffcover designer rylee bokesch | table of contents designer sakara rossWRITING EDITORS IN CHIEFabby kuilanabi wykoffSECTION EDITORSSTAFFkelsey beattygeorgia browningmalak chahboubava pazaktori de penataylor guzekava mejiasophia robinsongrant ruofcarter shillingabigail simmonselijah smiessavanna smithDESIGN EDITORS IN CHIEFsakara rossrylee bokeschaudrey del vecchiocate woolardkeira dicksonlyla biceBUSINESS MANAGERSaudrey del vecchiotenley walkerCOPY EDITORStenley walkerdelaney newellCOLUMNISTSshiv majmudaraudrey del vecchiocate woolardkari phillipsADVISER20 | OPINIONreviewing popular starbucks holiday drinks17 | PROFILErecognizing senior gracelyn quaye’s success14 | SCENEcelebrating orange football’s record breaking season6 | NEWSongoing turmoil on sudanese land6 2017 14CHECK OUT THE COURIER’S ONLINE SITE! ALL YOUR FAVORITE WRITERS AND DESIGNERS GO DIGITAL. SCAN THE CODE WITH YOUR CAMERA TO BE TAKEN DIRECTLY THERE!PROJECTSreema mohamed rafiqjanuary 3
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STAFF EDITORIALissues with ai writer the editorial board | designer grant ruofAs we all know, arti!cial intelligence, also known as AI, has been on the rise during the past decade. We’ve seen AI bots like ChatGPT and Google Gemini develop stronger every year. While those are the typical chatbots that aid with almost any problem users propose, other chatbots have popped up as well. Amongst these miscellaneous chatbots, there are character chatbots that simulate the user in conversation and role play with both !ctional and real characters. \"ese bots range from characters from novels to celebrities. A popular AI platform that does this is CharacterAI. Staying safe with AI platforms like this is highly important. Like with any technology, the risks with any form of AI are still high despite companies’ reassurances. Data leaks and security issues are amongst some concerns with general chatbots. However, with character chatbots there is a lot of recent controversy especially in keeping users safe.CharacterAI is one of the most popular character roleplay apps. However, their chatbots have been under !re a#er several teenage suicides that were allegedly connected to the bot. \"ere are two known teenagers who expressed similar sentiments to the bot, which continued to egg them on and put no stop to the teens’ thoughts. On Nov. 8, 2023, Juliana Peralta tragically took her own life due to chatting with a character bot on Character AI. According to CBS News via Peralta’s parents, Peralta had con!ded to the chatbot about feeling suicidal 55 times. Not once did it provide resources for her to get better. As the chats went on, they started to get more aggressive and were not initiated by Peralata but by the bot each time.Another case, in February 2024, 14-year old Setzer Garcia took his own life due to chatting with a Character AI bot. Again, according to CNN Business, the teenager relayed thoughts of self-harm to the bot, which once again did not try to prevent these thoughts. In fact, its ending message was asking Garcia to “come home”. Both families have since !led lawsuits against the platform. Now, the app has features that direct users to suicide prevention hotlines and warning statements, but this only came a#er the company was under legal !re. Even with these features, according to reporters from CBS News, it’s very easy to click out of these links and continue with the chat. Similarly, getting into the adult version of the app with a fake age and account was easy, enabling teens to have easy access to the roleplay beyond their age. As of now, there are no governmental precautions against AI so#ware such as Character AI, which leaves parents to manage this new platform on their own.It’s not just Character AI under !re, ChatGPT (OpenAI) has been under !re for a similar teenage suicide. Earlier this year in April, Adam Raine was aided in suicide by ChatGPT. He made several statements to the bot about taking his life, and rather than sending him to a help line, ChatGPT o$ered suggestions. \"e Raine family has since opened a lawsuit against OpenAI, the company behind Jan ChatGPT.We as an editorial board, implore students to stay safe while using AI platforms. In this current age, coming into contact with a form of AI is inevitable and it’s important that everyone remembers to stay safe and that these bots are simply just bots. \"ey are not real and what they saw shouldn’t be taken seriously. editorial4 januarySolve 3x + 5y/18x - 8xyExplain Fahrenheit 451 in themanners of a sophomore highschool student Generate a pattern of a sunset using warmer colorsSign Up or Login Request a DemoRun Tommy character codeTommy (aged 31)Interests: whatever yourintoDislikes: Whatever youdon’t likeCreated by Grant RuofPicture created by AIWhat do you want to talk about?How does AI function?It’s entirely response based.How do chatbots like youhave a “conscience”?We don’t, we are just lineson a computer. EDITORIAL STATEMENT\" e Courier is the o% cial student-produced medium of news and information published by the Advanced Newspaper Journalism students of Olentangy Orange High School.\" e Courier has been established as a designated public forum for student journalists to inform, educate and entertain readers as well as for the discussion of issues of concern to their audience. It will not be reviewed or restrained by school o% cials, adults or sources prior to publication.\" e content of \" e Courier is determined by and re& ects only the views of the student sta$ and not school o% cials or the school itself. \" e Courier will not publish any material, determined by the sta$ or adviser, that is libelous, obscene or disruptive to the school day.\" e adviser is Kari Phillips. Readers may respond to \" e Courier through Letters to the Editor. Letters may be mailed, e-mailed to thecouriersta$ @ gmail.com or dropped o$ to room 2213. \" e sta$ asks that submissions be 300 words or less and contain the author’s name and signature. Editors reserve the right to edit or withhold publication of letters. \" e Courier strives to uphold the Canons of Professional Journalism, which includes accuracy, impartiality, etc. \" erefore, major errors will be corrected in the next issue. Distinction will be marked between news and opinion stories.
'WHAT ARE WE?'why high school relationships aren’t that seriouswriter abi wykoff | designer grant ruof | permission to print abi wykoffThis isn't a diss-track or me “calling out” any of my longterm-relationship friends because I truly wish them the best, from the ones who just started dating two months ago or the couple I know that is coming up on !ve years. Maybe they’ll be high school sweethearts some day, who knows? Either way, we can establish that this isn’t the norm, especially for a bunch of teenagers.While being in the middle of a relationship may feel like the end-all-be-all of high school social life, it really isn’t. In fact, less than two percent of high school relationships actually end in marriage, according to \"e Accolade. Despite this, it seems like just about every other couple thinks that they’ll be the exception. But in reality, high schoolers have a higher chance of getting accepted to Harvard than marrying a high school sweetheart. \"ese low chances of lasting relationships could be attributed to many things depending on the situation. “Steady romantic relationships in high school typically last six months for 16 year olds and about a year for 17 and 18 year olds [with] 63 percent of high schoolers [having] been on at least one date before the 12th grade,” according to the Handbook on Adolescent Psychology.Despite all these facts, dating in high school is still extremely common and o#en seen as a rite of passage.With an average of 57 percent of teenagers (between the ages of 12 and 17) regularly dating, a third of them have a “steady partner”, according to Linda Lindsey’s novel Gender Sociological Perspectives.\"is so-called “rite of passage” has been depicted everywhere in the media, from coming-of-age movies to TV shows for young kids. Every Disney princess had a prince and every other coming of age movie centers around young adults dreaming of romance and love. So it’s no wonder this is something that many real life teens feel so reliant on. However, it seems that in recent years, the concept of high school dating is changing dramatically from the way we know it to be shown. Love that was once shown through a boom box serenade (\"Say Anything\" 1989) or a romantic kiss in the rain (\"\"e Notebook\" 2004) is now being expressed through nonlabeled and uncommitted “situationships”. One large contributor to this change; the advancements in technology. According to \"e Marker, iPhones have played a role in this change, leading many young couples to, “rely heavily on digital lifelines—FaceTime calls every night, constant texting, and Snapchat updates throughout their days apart.” And while this may seem like a bene!cial way to stay in contact, today's relationships are facing, “a distinctly modern challenge: they rarely [see] each other in person.”But even more than just a technological shi#, it seems that the entirety of high school dating cultures has changed to drastically di$er from the traditional young love that we are so accustomed to seeing in the media.“For many teens who date, relationships have become increasingly ambiguous. \"e lines between labels are now unclear, confusing teenagers looking for a genuine connection,” \"e Marker states.From these modern changes and confusion, creating even more stress on the already stressful complex of high school dating. From this has formed the slang term “situationship”, which, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, is de!ned as “a romantic relationship between two people who do not yet consider themselves a couple but who have more than a friendship.”\"ese seemingly %eeting titles (or lack of them) are followed by their own band of issues and negative connotations; with cons such as uncertainty, lack of consistency, commitment issues, and disloyalty according to Psychology Today. Not only is there a change in dating styles occurring, but also a shi#in the amount of teens in romantic relationships. According to research from the American Institute for Boys and Men, “teen dating is rapidly declining nationwide.” With only, “56 percent of Gen Z adults reporting that they had a romantic relationship during their teen years.” \"is is a signi!cant change from Baby Boomers and Gen X-ers who were at a reported 78 and 76 percent in their teen years. Let me reiterate, dating in high school isn’t a terrible thing. Romantic relationships in teenage years can be vital to supporting developmental skills that will last a lifetime. However, it is important to stay independent and conscious about one’s decisions involving them. Remembering that a high school relationship isn’t the end of the world, and shouldn’t take forefront to one’s personal aspirations and goals.editorialjanuary 5Hey would you like fun facts about highschool dating?Sure! I’ve heard the landscape is rapidlychanging!Here’s some pretty interesting facts abouthigh school dating:Fun Facts about High School DatingLess than two percent of high schoolrelationships actually end in marriage.****Relationships for 16 yearolds typically last about six monthsand a year for 17 and 18 year olds***63 percent of high schoolershave been on a date before12th grade*57 percent of teenagers (aged 12 to17) regularly date, and one third of them have a “steady partner”**Where did these facts come from?*: this fact came from the Handbook on Adolecent Psychology**: this fact came from Linda Lindsey’s novel Gender Sociological Perspectives***: this fact came from the Handbook on Adolecsent Psychology****: this fact came from The AccoladeSenior Abi Wyko$ poses fora picture in a restaurant.
A STRUGGLING SUDANongoing turmoil on sudanese landwriter tenley walker | designer malak chahboub | permission to print galeThe wars in Gaza and Ukraine continue to !re in not only the countries but also in headlines across the world. Lesser known but at the same time, a similar war has been devastating millions of Sudanese people every day for over two years.As of April 15, 2023, Sudan has been in a disastrous war with its own rival military a\"er the two military generals, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, were !ghting over who should remain in charge. #e Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support forces continue to dive deeper into a war that has the potential to diminish the country, according to Reuters.“#ere were two coups that occurred in Sudan, which caused further instability in the country,” World History Teacher Brian Haines said, “Sudan is a very unstable country.” Sudan’s past is noted with many undecided con$icts that lead to unfair treatment to the people.“Its history is !lled with coups, government changes and the brutal oppression of its people,” Haines said. #e war proceeds to escalate and is altering millions of lives in the process. “#e current civil war in Sudan is fueling one of the largest humanitarian crises ever,” World History Teacher Brooke Sandy said.#e !ghting involves drone strikes, ground battles, mass killings, sex violence and human rights abuses that could eventually lead the country into a potential genocide according to the International Rescue Committee.“Over 150,000 people have been killed, and 12 million people have been displaced,” Sandy said.#e people of Sudan are being impacted the most as an e%ect of the battle.Unfortunately, “there are over 25 million people starving,” Haines said.According to UN News, poor living conditions and famines continue to increase in number making this the largest and fastest growing displacement crisis in world history.“Civilians are faced with continued news6 january!ghting, famine, disease outbreaks from a collapsed healthcare system, contaminated food and a lack of access to clean drinking water,” Sandy said.To worsen the issue, over half of Sudan’s population needs humanitarian assistance, but according to BBC News, over 70 percent of the country’s hospitals have been destroyed.“Aid to help address famine and the collapse of the healthcare system is regularly blocked,” Sandy said.Due to this, over 14 million Sudanese people have had no choice but to leave as the !ghting continues.“Many civilians $ee and are displaced within Sudan or to neighboring countries like Chad,” Sandy said.#e famine in Sudan is reaching its worst peak with more civilians reaching starvation in Sudan than the rest of the world combined according to #e Guardian.“If !ghting continues, and that unfortunately looks likely at this juncture, it will further exacerbate the already dire humanitarian crisis,” Sandy said.#ere have been rumors of other countries supporting the war, although when asked, the countries deny their involvement.“#e United Arab Emirates (UAE) appears to be supporting the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the con$ict,” Sandy said.#ere have been some e%orts to end the war, but not enough is being done to fully abolish the !ghting.“Some countries-like the US, Canada, and the European Union have imposed sanctions on both sides of the con$ict,” Haines said.#e war continues today, but many hope that the !ghting will end soon as the Sudanese people are being forced to prolong their evacuation.2011 in refugee camp Janub, a woman and her infant in Darfur, Sudan 2011.A family is seen gathering water from a pump in Central Sudan, in June 2007.Southern Sudanese children were displaced by the country’s long civil war.Liberation armys’ refugee soldiers carry their weapons while riding through town.
MLK JR DAYamerica’s unfinished businesswriter tori de pena | designer malak chahboub | permission to print galeMartin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday that is celebrated on a third Monday in January. It is a day to honor the legacy of an inspiring civil rights activist who fought against discrimination and segregation. He encouraged Americans to help serve their communities and advocated for every person’s voice to be heard, no matter their background. “MLK was an iconic civil rights leader and his contributions against racial discrimination were powerful,” senior Gracelyn Quaye .!e late Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.” An American Civil Rights activist and minister who led the Civil Rights movement from 1955 until he was assassinated in 1968, King’s leadership is well-known from his nonviolent protest containing the heartfelt “I Have A Dream” speech, which later became his de\"ning legacy. His early education stunned many with being able to skip ninth and 12th grade. King graduated from high school at the age of 15 in 1944, according to NobelPrize.com. A#er attending Morehouse College, King received his bachelor’s in Sociology, according to Morehouse.edu. While studying at Crozer !eological Seminary, located in Pennsylvania, King was the president of a class of mostly white students, and he later got his doctorate in 1953, according to Nobelprize.com. Quickly a#er, King became a national \"gure as a spokesman for the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a crucial civil rights movement that led to many African Americans refusing to ride the city buses to protest against segregated seating. !is boycott went on for over a year, but that wasn’t the last of King’s protests.“He believed in civil disobedience, which is de\"ned by nonviolence. Students can learn a lot from the nonviolent nature of his advocacy for equal rights and utilize his approach too,” Quaye said. King was arrested on April 12, 1963 for leading a non-violent protest against segregation, according to History.com. newsjanuary 7During King’s eight days of being held at Birmingham jail, came the infamous “Letter from Birmingham Jail”. “It is one of the best forms of rhetoric written. From his statements he gave, given his situations and surroundings was inspiring and I think that’s why it holds so much power to anyone who reads it,” English Teacher Andrea Vescelius said.King wrote an in$uential letter to ultimately defend his nonviolent de\"ance against racial injustice a#er white “religious” men called his protests “unwise and untimely”, according Nul.org.King uses such empowering words in his “Letter from Birmingham Jail” to illustrate the true ignorance towards his non-violent protesting. On Aug. 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous “I Have A Dream” speech at the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington for freedom. Over a quarter-million of people attended the March on Washington. King added statements in his speech as a sermon and a philosopher do highlight the importance of equality in America, according to naacp.org. Emphasizing the “dream” concept for young children of color to walk hand-inhand with white children.“He gave people so much more than courage, he gave them hope. I don’t think I’d be sitting here in this classroom right now if it wasn’t for that man,” an Orange junior who wished to remain anonymous said.A year later, President Johnson signed the National Voting Rights Act of 1965. !ese laws banned discrimination against African Americans and women all together, ending segregation, as explained on naacp.org.A day of mourning was held on April 4, 1968, the day of Martin Luther King Jr’s assasination. A white supremacist by the name of James Earl Ray acted out on racial hatred towards King, who shot him dead while he was standing on a balcony outside his Motel room. Ray was arrested and sentenced to 99 years in prison, he later died in said prison in 1998, according to biography.com. King gave the American people hope and reassurance for the possible future of our country. His words and courage to speak out against segregation will never go unnoticed. Want to support his legacy even more? Attend ‘!e Martin Luther King Jr. Cultural Arts Complex’ by the Kings Art Complex right here in Columbus,Ohio. !ey produce and present the cultural expressions of African Americans during signi\"cant historical events in America and around the world. If you want to contribute or even get involved with Kings Art Complex, and would like more information, head to kingsartcomplex.com.Dr.King pictured with his Nobel Prize in 1964.Martin Luther King Jr. giving his famed “I have a Dream” speeech before lincoln memorial.
FINAL FRIDAYfootball’s state championship win writer kelsey beatty | designer carter shilling | permission to print griffin takacsDusk was falling on the perfect September day over Pioneer !eld, and football season was rolling: Olentany Orange, with two wins into its season, faced district rival Olentangy, up 15-0 in only the !rst quarter. Quarterback Luke Chilicki of Olentangy threw the ball up, hoping for a chance to even out the score. But, it was tipped up, and a silhouette (senior defensive back Zane Konczak) dove for it, recovering it and winning possession for Orange.If there had been any doubt around if the Pioneers would let up, that decided it— and less than !ve minutes later, the team cashed in for another touchdown, making the score 21-0. And never did it let up: the play would become a microcosm of the next three months, both of which could be described in a word as dominance.It began in the preseason, according to senior o\"ensive linebacker and captain Remley Bowen. “You could feel it in the air in practice. I’ve been around teams that are 4-7, and I’ve been around teams that are 15-0. It felt di\"erent this year; it really did,” Bowen said.#e team lived up to this, setting its standard early in the season, putting up 42 points in each of its !rst three games and beating opponents by large margins, seemingly e\"ortlessly. Even then, some of the postseason possibilities and excitement had begun to brew.“When Zane Consak made that play against Olentangy [in the third game], I was like, yeah, Zane’s nice, and we all nice. So we’re going to the state championship,” senior wide receiver MC Walker said.#e team kept on rolling, beating district rivals Olentangy and Berlin along the way. #e season became historic a$er the team’s victory against Liberty in late October.“[#is group was the] !rst 10-0 team in school history,” Head Coach Wes Schroeder said.With a perfect regular season behind it, the squad turned its attention to the playo\"s, carrying that same electricity and con!dence with it.“Once we got the tournament draw, we felt pretty good about our postseason, who we were gonna play and where we were going,” Schroeder said.And from there, everything seemed to fall into place for the Pioneers, much as it had all season: explosive o\"ense and debilitating defense, leaving fans unable to help wondering if their team could go all the way.“I knew we were going to win state when we took the !eld at Mans!eld versus St. Edward’s,” Schroeder said. “Our kids and our crowd were just so locked in, everybody was so emotionally invested and we played so hard. I knew then that there was a good shot that we would win that one and probably the next one, whoever we played.”So when the title of OHSAA State Champions followed for the Pioneers, leaving them at 15-0 as the district’s !rst overall undefeated team, it should have seemed only natural. And yet, winning the state tournament could never be understated.“Our season ended on a win, so [the overall mood is] ecstatic,” Walker said.But according to the head coach, the team’s achievements went beyond merely decimating opponents and winning out.“People win state championships every year, but not every team can have the camaraderie, closeness and love that our team had,” Schroeder said. “Our greatest achievement was the way we came together for a common goal, and the winning was a byproduct of the way the kids bought into one another, played hard and made it about the team, not themselves.”Schroeder also cited the formation of several star players as one of the season’s leading accomplishments. One of said players is Bowen, who recently accepted a partial scholarship to play football at the collegiate level.“I’m going to Davidson College, and I’m going to go out and see what I can do. I’m going to work my butt o\" like I did this year, play football for four years, hopefully and see what happens,” Bowen said.But no matter what it was about the team that made it happen, the tone it set, from September nights to snow, cannot be denied, a momentum so powerful it practically permeated the air around the school, putting a buzz in the veins of fans, students, coaches and players. “#e only word I can think of for it is greatness,” Bowen said.sports8 january
IN THE ZONE[win]ter olympics takes place in februarysports columnist audrey del vecchio | designer carter shillingAt a time when global sporting events are drawing huge crowds, the Winter Olympics, with its high-stakes competitions, has had its viewership drop by millions, according to Sports Illustrated. !e decline isn’t re\"ected by the quality of the games, but by the people not giving the Winter Olympics as much attention as the Summer Olympics. !e Beijing Olympics in 2022 saw the smallest viewership ever with only 11.4 million viewers across platforms. !at shows a 42 percent decrease compared to the 2018 Winter Games and a 26 percent decrease from the Tokyo Summer Games in 2021 according to Sports Illustrated. All over my Instagram, I always see so many updates on the Summer Olympics no matter the location or event, so it is only right that the Winter Games get as much support not only on T.V. but also on social media networks. !e Winter Olympics is full of pure adrenaline that many fans are missing out on because they are still stuck two years ago in Paris. According to the National Olympic Committee, there were #ve billion viewers tuning in every day to experience the Summer Games in 2024. In 2020, the Winter Olympics only accumulated two billion viewers for the games held in Beijing, China. !e Games attract billions of viewers’ attention, but the event’s mix of competition with cultural celebration warrants even greater public attention and less comparison with the Summer Games. People all around the world focus so much on comparing the di$erence between the two Games and commenting on which is better when both are equally fascinating. !e Winter Olympics should be celebrated and followed just as much as the Summer Games. One of the best parts of the Games is the fact that they are held in snowy climates with sports that viewers don’t get to see year round. !e Summer Olympics, while amazing to experience, doesn’t give the same rush of adrenaline as the Winter Games. !ere’s nothing more exciting than watching #gure skaters twist in the air and bobsledders \"y through their tunnels and this is the year that the Winter Olympics is back.!e Games will take place in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy on Feb. 6 - 22. According to the International Olympic Committee, ski mountaineering along with #ve more events will be added to this upcoming Games. Every four years when the Summer Olympics comes around, there is so much chatter on who the major athletes on Team USA are going to be, but when the Winter Olympics makes an appearance the excitement seems to die down for no apparent reason. !is year I am looking forward to seeing what the Winter Olympics has in store for viewers this year. By giving the Games more attention, it will not only lead to more celebration of the event itself, but to the athletes who dedicate their lives to their sports. Athletes like Simone Biles and Katie Ledecky are so popular during the Summer Games that sometimes athletes like Chloe Kim and Nathan Chen don’t get recognition since they are involved in less popular American sports. During this upcoming Olympics, I hope that athletes all around the world are noticed and talked about for the less popular sports because no matter the popularity, all the athletes participating in the Olympics have worked their whole life in order to get where they are. So, in February don’t forget to grab the remote or pick up the phone and tune into the Winter Olympics in Italy. !e Olympics, no matter the season, never fail to bring countries all around the world together to appreciate the sports that de#ne society. sportsjanuary 9Sports columnists Audrey Del Vecchio and Cate Woolard.
ALL ABOUT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCEeffects of modern technology writer kelsey beatty, abby kuilan & tori de pena | designer sakara ross | permission to print sakara rossOne word on the news, seemingly every night. One word on every teacher’s syllabus. One word on every code of conduct. One word in every third ad. Seemingly in every reel, every TedTalk, even in SNL: AI. AI, AI and AI.The Future of AI!e word and all it represents has become the ultimate paradox: both so common in everyday life it practically blends in, and so controversial that it cannot be ignored. AI in schools is no exception.“I use ChatGPT for some of my classes,” senior Naviya Kamalakannan said. “I’ll use it to make \"ash cards sometimes, or make practice problems in math, and I ask it to grade my essay in English classes so I can #x my essays and make them better.”To many, including Kamalakannan, there is nothing wrong with this.“Using AI is ethical [as long as] you’re not using it to cheat,” Kamalakannan said. “I feel like if students use [AI] responsibly then there isn’t a problem.”Far from seeing it as cheating, many teachers would agree and even condone this use of technology by students to do their work.“[AI] should be used as a tool. Even like, photomath, which is a form of AI, helps you in math. It’s helpful because you can look at the steps to solve that problem or it’ll create extra problems for you to solve w i t h solutions t h a t you can w o r k Roth said. “I assign it a role, and it kicks back data. But [using AI is] just kind of keeping up with everybody else too because they’re doing it too.”However, there is a line between AI use being convenient or aiding learning and doing the work for people, especially when it comes to students. One speci#c, glaring concern with this is English courses, where it is very easy for this #gurative line to blur.“I realize that [AI use is] a double edged sword and it can be used for good, but I usually don’t see it being used for good [in my classes],” English Teacher Andrew Dobosh said. “In fact, I see mostly people using it to look up answers to quizzes.” But the main issue with AI in English classes comes with the idea of AI completing writing assignments for students. “At some point [when AI is used for writing], it feels like passing o$ something that isn’t their own work. You know, it feels inauthentic, ” Dobosh said. “Almost like students are trying to get one over on you by asking somebody else to do their work for them.”In spite of any controversies with AI use in academics, there is no denying that AI is helpful to stuzzdents, including beyond the classroom. “I’ve been using [AI] for college research [as well],” Kamalakannan said. “Some college websites are confusing and don’t get to the point, so I ask ChatGPT to help me #nd what I am looking for [on them].”But all things considered, the answer to the question of AI in school is much more nuanced.“ [AI must] be used but used with caution. We can’t lean on it. Ultimately, we’re trying to develop people and make people better thinkers and critical thinkers, and you can’t do that if you’re leaning on [AI] too much and never actually doing the work yourself,” Roth said.AI in the Future“Remember, this is not just a story, this is our future,” stated in the video game “Detroit: Become Human”. Could AI-based through,” Math Teacher Robert Roth said.Administrators agree with this to some degree, emphasizing some of the same points Kamalakannan did.“I believe there are some positives [to education] which can come from the growth of AI technology. !ings like individualized learning can hopefully see a boost from AI where a student can use AI to explain a topic di$erently than what they can receive in a group setting or even being able to use AI to explore a topic in greater detail or at a more advanced level,” Sam Marshall, Olentangy IT Security Supervisor, said.But there are also e$ects of AI use, such as dependence, that are impossible to fully understand yet.“Early experiences are showing that there is a trend of ‘Cognitive O%oading’, in that people delegate tasks to AI that they would have needed to reason through di$erently in the past. Our ability to know the long-term impact of this behavior could take years to fully understand. !is will be an area to watch if young people enter society or the workforce missing certain skills like critical thinking/reasoning, e$ective writing, or the ability to ensure research is credible before using it to make decisions,” Marshall said.On the other hand, beyond allowing students to use AI, many teachers are beginning to integrate it into their own projects in classes.“I teach MMR, which is mathematical modeling and reasoning, and in that class, AI is utilized a lot just to get answers quickly and get a background on things we’re trying to solve,” Roth said. “Speci#cally, to do research, create timelines, models or \"ashcards and write.”Several teachers are beginning to embrace AI for their lives outside academics as well. In addition to being a math teacher, Roth is the defensive coordinator for the school’s football team, a role in which he says AI has been a great help.“We’ll import our Excel sheet, thousands of pieces of data, into, say, Gemini, and ask it very speci#c questions, and it will predict tendencies and give us all kinds of di$erent statistics that we would spend hours #nding, really quickly,” video games and movies be commonplace? !e evolution of AI has grown rapidly since 2021, and AI-generated images and videos are getting more and more realistic. People believe that if the majority of media users are unable to identify what is or isn’t AIgenerated, that society is ultimately doomed, according to yaledailynews.com. Arti#cial intelligence is currently getting heavily bashed or oddly beloved from di$erent generations, but every generation a&er Gen Alpha won’t know a time without AI.!e main worry across everyone’s mind is the burning question: “Will AI take our jobs?!”, and the reality is that they could. Many jobs relating to calculating, data research and banking are already shrinking their workforce due to the use of AI, according to CNBC News. Conducted through a random online survey taken by 32 Orange students, 40 percent of people believe that AI will be a threat to mankind. It seems that more computer and technology related jobs are mainly at risk, but who’s to say it isn’t a threat to other professions. !e award-winning musical “Emilia Pérez” used AI for the soundtrack speci#cally for one of the singer’s vocals, according to Forbes. In all likelihood, every profession could be in jeopardy.Many people believe that the idea of arti#cial intelligence growing in consciousness is just science #ction while others think that the more AI grows intelligent, the more the “light” will turn on and robots could potentially start having real feelings. Google suspended so&ware engineer Blake Lemoine in 2022, a&er he argued that AI chatbots could feel things and potentially su$er, according to BBC News. “People saying that chatbots can feel things is just weird. It’s a robot; it shouldn’t have feelings,” an Orange senior who wished to remain anonymous said. People are using code words with chatbots, trying to get them to generate experiences of love and happiness, while some people debate on what consciousness actually is. Researchers focus on the subjective experience and other studies say it functions through the cognitive process, according to NatureStudies. covercover10 january january 1147% of people believe AI will grow consciousness one dayHow Do YOU Use AI?“I use AI when I’m not sure how to write a college essay prompt, i’ll get it to writre an example and write mine based on that example,” senior Laila Jackson said.“Whenever i’m trying to study and its a lot to read and I don’t understand it, i’ll copy and paste it into AI to simplify it and get a general understanding,” senior Kaylynn Hamm said.“I have used AI to develop ideas and research topics that I was not aware of as well as #nding resources on niche topics,” senior Kriyanshi Shukla said.“I typically use AI when i’m stuck on brainstorming for a project or essay and i’ll use it to give me prompts,” senior Evelyne Genovesi said.
ALL ABOUT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCEeffects of modern technology writer kelsey beatty, abby kuilan & tori de pena | designer sakara ross | permission to print sakara rossOne word on the news, seemingly every night. One word on every teacher’s syllabus. One word on every code of conduct. One word in every third ad. Seemingly in every reel, every TedTalk, even in SNL: AI. AI, AI and AI.The Future of AI!e word and all it represents has become the ultimate paradox: both so common in everyday life it practically blends in, and so controversial that it cannot be ignored. AI in schools is no exception.“I use ChatGPT for some of my classes,” senior Naviya Kamalakannan said. “I’ll use it to make \"ash cards sometimes, or make practice problems in math, and I ask it to grade my essay in English classes so I can #x my essays and make them better.”To many, including Kamalakannan, there is nothing wrong with this.“Using AI is ethical [as long as] you’re not using it to cheat,” Kamalakannan said. “I feel like if students use [AI] responsibly then there isn’t a problem.”Far from seeing it as cheating, many teachers would agree and even condone this use of technology by students to do their work.“[AI] should be used as a tool. Even like, photomath, which is a form of AI, helps you in math. It’s helpful because you can look at the steps to solve that problem or it’ll create extra problems for you to solve w i t h solutions t h a t you can w o r k Roth said. “I assign it a role, and it kicks back data. But [using AI is] just kind of keeping up with everybody else too because they’re doing it too.”However, there is a line between AI use being convenient or aiding learning and doing the work for people, especially when it comes to students. One speci#c, glaring concern with this is English courses, where it is very easy for this #gurative line to blur.“I realize that [AI use is] a double edged sword and it can be used for good, but I usually don’t see it being used for good [in my classes],” English Teacher Andrew Dobosh said. “In fact, I see mostly people using it to look up answers to quizzes.” But the main issue with AI in English classes comes with the idea of AI completing writing assignments for students. “At some point [when AI is used for writing], it feels like passing o$ something that isn’t their own work. You know, it feels inauthentic, ” Dobosh said. “Almost like students are trying to get one over on you by asking somebody else to do their work for them.”In spite of any controversies with AI use in academics, there is no denying that AI is helpful to stuzzdents, including beyond the classroom. “I’ve been using [AI] for college research [as well],” Kamalakannan said. “Some college websites are confusing and don’t get to the point, so I ask ChatGPT to help me #nd what I am looking for [on them].”But all things considered, the answer to the question of AI in school is much more nuanced.“ [AI must] be used but used with caution. We can’t lean on it. Ultimately, we’re trying to develop people and make people better thinkers and critical thinkers, and you can’t do that if you’re leaning on [AI] too much and never actually doing the work yourself,” Roth said.AI in the Future“Remember, this is not just a story, this is our future,” stated in the video game “Detroit: Become Human”. Could AI-based through,” Math Teacher Robert Roth said.Administrators agree with this to some degree, emphasizing some of the same points Kamalakannan did.“I believe there are some positives [to education] which can come from the growth of AI technology. !ings like individualized learning can hopefully see a boost from AI where a student can use AI to explain a topic di$erently than what they can receive in a group setting or even being able to use AI to explore a topic in greater detail or at a more advanced level,” Sam Marshall, Olentangy IT Security Supervisor, said.But there are also e$ects of AI use, such as dependence, that are impossible to fully understand yet.“Early experiences are showing that there is a trend of ‘Cognitive O%oading’, in that people delegate tasks to AI that they would have needed to reason through di$erently in the past. Our ability to know the long-term impact of this behavior could take years to fully understand. !is will be an area to watch if young people enter society or the workforce missing certain skills like critical thinking/reasoning, e$ective writing, or the ability to ensure research is credible before using it to make decisions,” Marshall said.On the other hand, beyond allowing students to use AI, many teachers are beginning to integrate it into their own projects in classes.“I teach MMR, which is mathematical modeling and reasoning, and in that class, AI is utilized a lot just to get answers quickly and get a background on things we’re trying to solve,” Roth said. “Speci#cally, to do research, create timelines, models or \"ashcards and write.”Several teachers are beginning to embrace AI for their lives outside academics as well. In addition to being a math teacher, Roth is the defensive coordinator for the school’s football team, a role in which he says AI has been a great help.“We’ll import our Excel sheet, thousands of pieces of data, into, say, Gemini, and ask it very speci#c questions, and it will predict tendencies and give us all kinds of di$erent statistics that we would spend hours #nding, really quickly,” video games and movies be commonplace? !e evolution of AI has grown rapidly since 2021, and AI-generated images and videos are getting more and more realistic. People believe that if the majority of media users are unable to identify what is or isn’t AIgenerated, that society is ultimately doomed, according to yaledailynews.com. Arti#cial intelligence is currently getting heavily bashed or oddly beloved from di$erent generations, but every generation a&er Gen Alpha won’t know a time without AI.!e main worry across everyone’s mind is the burning question: “Will AI take our jobs?!”, and the reality is that they could. Many jobs relating to calculating, data research and banking are already shrinking their workforce due to the use of AI, according to CNBC News. Conducted through a random online survey taken by 32 Orange students, 40 percent of people believe that AI will be a threat to mankind. It seems that more computer and technology related jobs are mainly at risk, but who’s to say it isn’t a threat to other professions. !e award-winning musical “Emilia Pérez” used AI for the soundtrack speci#cally for one of the singer’s vocals, according to Forbes. In all likelihood, every profession could be in jeopardy.Many people believe that the idea of arti#cial intelligence growing in consciousness is just science #ction while others think that the more AI grows intelligent, the more the “light” will turn on and robots could potentially start having real feelings. Google suspended so&ware engineer Blake Lemoine in 2022, a&er he argued that AI chatbots could feel things and potentially su$er, according to BBC News. “People saying that chatbots can feel things is just weird. It’s a robot; it shouldn’t have feelings,” an Orange senior who wished to remain anonymous said. People are using code words with chatbots, trying to get them to generate experiences of love and happiness, while some people debate on what consciousness actually is. Researchers focus on the subjective experience and other studies say it functions through the cognitive process, according to NatureStudies. covercover10 january january 1147% of people believe AI will grow consciousness one dayHow Do YOU Use AI?“I use AI when I’m not sure how to write a college essay prompt, i’ll get it to writre an example and write mine based on that example,” senior Laila Jackson said.“Whenever i’m trying to study and its a lot to read and I don’t understand it, i’ll copy and paste it into AI to simplify it and get a general understanding,” senior Kaylynn Hamm said.“I have used AI to develop ideas and research topics that I was not aware of as well as #nding resources on niche topics,” senior Kriyanshi Shukla said.“I typically use AI when i’m stuck on brainstorming for a project or essay and i’ll use it to give me prompts,” senior Evelyne Genovesi said.
“Yes, have you seen the movies! !e movies literally tell us what is going to happen one day,” senior Miya Elmore said.Conducted through a random online survey taken by 32 Orange students, 47 percent of people believe that arti\"cial intelligence will one day grow consciousness. “Arti\"cial intelligence will have negative e#ects in the future; people already use it for dumb things and to do all their school work for them. People are just becoming more lazy,” Elmore said.AI in the HomeWith AI relationships quickly growing at a rapid speed, so are AI home appliances. Sitting at home alone could be boring and not very stimulating, but what if people had the ability to ask their vacuum some hard-hitting questions? Companies are now making a way for home appliances like vacuums, lawn-mowers and kitchen assistants to be powered with AI to become more e$cient and sophisticated, according to Science News Today. !ese new and improved appliances could be designed to recognize patterns in its humans’ tone of voice, their facial expressions and even possibly their behavioral cues. AI in HealthMany people have already had a robot complete their medical examinations and surgeries. Healthcare providers are now using AI to develop new drugs and treatments. With the properties AI holds, people can build completely new proteins, according to the University of California. People have already been operated on by a machine. “I’ve had surgery done by a machine. It was operated by a surgeon, of course not on its own,” English Teacher Andrea Vescelius said. Human-like robots could be operating soon in the future, advanced AI could aid economic pressures by expanding surgical capacity without increasing cost, according to Forbes. “It would depend on the robot’s dexterity, and I’d want to look at the robot’s previous surgical performances,” Vescelius said. Conducted through a random online survey taken by 32 Orange students, 37 percent of people answered that they would allow a machine to work on them in case of emergency.Arti\"cial intelligence has come a long way in these short few years, and there is no doubt that it is going to expand in the future. As humans, people have had to adjust to every new technology that has come before, and arti\"cial intelligence is just another challenge to take on. We can’t forget the realism of the past while reaching for the arti\"cial reality of our future. “Because reality is the only thing that’s real. You understand what I’m saying?” said by Anorak in the movie “Ready Player One”.!ese p e t - l i k e designs are to help stimulate lonely owners at home or help children who need to be occupied throughout the day. Conducted through a random online survey taken by 32 Orange students, 50 percent of people answered that they would not trust a robot to watch over their children. !e horror movie ‘M.E.G.A.N.’ probably helped sway some votes.Impacts of AIIn the United States, 62 percent of adults have reported that they utilize AI numerous times a week with 73 percent of American adults saying that they would be inclined to allow AI to help with their everyday tasks, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center. In the past \"ve years it has become increasingly clear that there is an insurgence in the use of arti\"cial intelligence, whether it’s asking for help on how to write an email to a coworker or a student using AI for their homework assignments. However, the repercussions or possible e#ects of AI are not as widely known to many because it’s still fairly new to people, but the rami\"cations can now be seen in humans and their mental well being and also the environment as a whole. “!e issue that surrounds AI is energy consumption; energy consumption contributes to the release of greenhouse gases, which then in turn contributes to global warming and climate change. !at’s where the biggest concern lies: climate change,” AP Environmental Science teacher Jessica Timmons said.Using chatbots like Chatgpt makes it so there is a signi\"cant amount of water used in these data centers for their advanced cooling systems according to Penn State Institute of Energy and the Environment. !e amount of water consumption happening in these centers is very high, and it can lead to lack of water as a resource.“AI utilizes a ton of water and data has found that AI datacenters can raise the ambient atmospheric temperature one mile above the data center by 23 degrees,” Timmons said.!e use of AI not only impacts energy and water consumption but also leads to a higher increase of e waste since technology companies keep advancing their products as more computer chips and batteries are being sent to land\"lls. Alongside this, if this high use of AI continues, by 2030 there could be around \"ve millions tons of e waste from older equipment according to the Conservation Foundation. “We are going to see shi%s in weather patterns (more intense hurricanes, for example, and hurricanes hitting the coasts earlier and earlier in the season) and we are going to see some areas be inundated with &ood waters while locations that are accustomed to receiving rainfall will suddenly experience drought,” Timmons said.varieties of ways to utilize AI, it could potentially help someone’s, without a mental disorder, mental state. “AI provides convenient and immediate responses. AI provides students and adults with a way to get something done more e$ciently. !eoretically leaving them more time to do what they prefer,” Nordquist said, “AI tools can provide immediate access to mental health resources, such as coping strategies or crisis support, which may enhance accessibility and early intervention,”With all of this being said, AI is still very relatively new to the public and professionals so the true impact of AI on one’s wellbeing may not be discovered yet. “While I cannot give speci\"cs since mental health impact is not within my area of expertise, the \"rst thing that comes to mind is that AI has not been commercially available long enough to truly understand its impact. Most people cite that AI (as we have come to know it) has only been available to the public for around 3 years, and with the rapid change in the technology, getting a stable environment to study or begin to understand any long-term impact is not there yet,” Marshall said.AI in Mental Health!e e#ects of AI will most de\"nitely have a widespread e#ect on a multitude of things such as the Earth, but a more recent concern discussed now is how much of an e#ect AI could have on a person’s mental health. Around 17-24 percent of juveniles create somewhat of a dependency on AI with studies showcasing that individuals with mental health disorders such as depression or anxiety are more liable to develop a reliance on it, according to the Journal of Mental Health and Clinical Psychology. “Students may become dependent on AI, diminishing selfe$cacy and resilience. Additionally, inaccurate or impersonal responses from AI can lead to frustration or misinformation, negatively impacting well-being,” School Psychologist Mackenzie Nordquist said.In today’s society, AI can even be seen as an outlet for people to talk to about their life or their own issues. However, this can obviously lead to the downside of people with social anxiety becoming more isolated a%er seeking comfort in AI. According to the Journal of Mental Health and Clinical Psychology, around 12 percent of individuals with mental health disorders explicitly use AI programs to manage their loneliness.“Overuse of AI may reduce critical thinking and problem-solving skills, as people become accustomed to automated assistance. It can also contribute to increased isolation if AI interactions replace human connections,” Norquist said.!ere is a shi% since the commercial usage of AI where people now rely on it for simple tasks. “Early experiences are showing that there is a trend of “Cognitive O'oading” in that people delegate tasks to AI that they would have needed to reason through di#erently in the past,” Marshall said. However, with the use of AI, like anything, in small increments and not high consumption is not bad for a person. In fact, with the wide covercover12 january january 13CO2Data centers consume several tons of water to maintain AI chatbots.AI consumes mass amounts of energy which contributes to the release of greenhouse gasses.Ai leads to a high increase in e-waste as microchips and batteries are sent to landfills.12 percent of individuals with mental health disorders explicitly use AI programs to manage their loneliness.By the year 2026, 150 million homes willhave AI voice assistants.
“Yes, have you seen the movies! !e movies literally tell us what is going to happen one day,” senior Miya Elmore said.Conducted through a random online survey taken by 32 Orange students, 47 percent of people believe that arti\"cial intelligence will one day grow consciousness. “Arti\"cial intelligence will have negative e#ects in the future; people already use it for dumb things and to do all their school work for them. People are just becoming more lazy,” Elmore said.AI in the HomeWith AI relationships quickly growing at a rapid speed, so are AI home appliances. Sitting at home alone could be boring and not very stimulating, but what if people had the ability to ask their vacuum some hard-hitting questions? Companies are now making a way for home appliances like vacuums, lawn-mowers and kitchen assistants to be powered with AI to become more e$cient and sophisticated, according to Science News Today. !ese new and improved appliances could be designed to recognize patterns in its humans’ tone of voice, their facial expressions and even possibly their behavioral cues. AI in HealthMany people have already had a robot complete their medical examinations and surgeries. Healthcare providers are now using AI to develop new drugs and treatments. With the properties AI holds, people can build completely new proteins, according to the University of California. People have already been operated on by a machine. “I’ve had surgery done by a machine. It was operated by a surgeon, of course not on its own,” English Teacher Andrea Vescelius said. Human-like robots could be operating soon in the future, advanced AI could aid economic pressures by expanding surgical capacity without increasing cost, according to Forbes. “It would depend on the robot’s dexterity, and I’d want to look at the robot’s previous surgical performances,” Vescelius said. Conducted through a random online survey taken by 32 Orange students, 37 percent of people answered that they would allow a machine to work on them in case of emergency.Arti\"cial intelligence has come a long way in these short few years, and there is no doubt that it is going to expand in the future. As humans, people have had to adjust to every new technology that has come before, and arti\"cial intelligence is just another challenge to take on. We can’t forget the realism of the past while reaching for the arti\"cial reality of our future. “Because reality is the only thing that’s real. You understand what I’m saying?” said by Anorak in the movie “Ready Player One”.!ese p e t - l i k e designs are to help stimulate lonely owners at home or help children who need to be occupied throughout the day. Conducted through a random online survey taken by 32 Orange students, 50 percent of people answered that they would not trust a robot to watch over their children. !e horror movie ‘M.E.G.A.N.’ probably helped sway some votes.Impacts of AIIn the United States, 62 percent of adults have reported that they utilize AI numerous times a week with 73 percent of American adults saying that they would be inclined to allow AI to help with their everyday tasks, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center. In the past \"ve years it has become increasingly clear that there is an insurgence in the use of arti\"cial intelligence, whether it’s asking for help on how to write an email to a coworker or a student using AI for their homework assignments. However, the repercussions or possible e#ects of AI are not as widely known to many because it’s still fairly new to people, but the rami\"cations can now be seen in humans and their mental well being and also the environment as a whole. “!e issue that surrounds AI is energy consumption; energy consumption contributes to the release of greenhouse gases, which then in turn contributes to global warming and climate change. !at’s where the biggest concern lies: climate change,” AP Environmental Science teacher Jessica Timmons said.Using chatbots like Chatgpt makes it so there is a signi\"cant amount of water used in these data centers for their advanced cooling systems according to Penn State Institute of Energy and the Environment. !e amount of water consumption happening in these centers is very high, and it can lead to lack of water as a resource.“AI utilizes a ton of water and data has found that AI datacenters can raise the ambient atmospheric temperature one mile above the data center by 23 degrees,” Timmons said.!e use of AI not only impacts energy and water consumption but also leads to a higher increase of e waste since technology companies keep advancing their products as more computer chips and batteries are being sent to land\"lls. Alongside this, if this high use of AI continues, by 2030 there could be around \"ve millions tons of e waste from older equipment according to the Conservation Foundation. “We are going to see shi%s in weather patterns (more intense hurricanes, for example, and hurricanes hitting the coasts earlier and earlier in the season) and we are going to see some areas be inundated with &ood waters while locations that are accustomed to receiving rainfall will suddenly experience drought,” Timmons said.varieties of ways to utilize AI, it could potentially help someone’s, without a mental disorder, mental state. “AI provides convenient and immediate responses. AI provides students and adults with a way to get something done more e$ciently. !eoretically leaving them more time to do what they prefer,” Nordquist said, “AI tools can provide immediate access to mental health resources, such as coping strategies or crisis support, which may enhance accessibility and early intervention,”With all of this being said, AI is still very relatively new to the public and professionals so the true impact of AI on one’s wellbeing may not be discovered yet. “While I cannot give speci\"cs since mental health impact is not within my area of expertise, the \"rst thing that comes to mind is that AI has not been commercially available long enough to truly understand its impact. Most people cite that AI (as we have come to know it) has only been available to the public for around 3 years, and with the rapid change in the technology, getting a stable environment to study or begin to understand any long-term impact is not there yet,” Marshall said.AI in Mental Health!e e#ects of AI will most de\"nitely have a widespread e#ect on a multitude of things such as the Earth, but a more recent concern discussed now is how much of an e#ect AI could have on a person’s mental health. Around 17-24 percent of juveniles create somewhat of a dependency on AI with studies showcasing that individuals with mental health disorders such as depression or anxiety are more liable to develop a reliance on it, according to the Journal of Mental Health and Clinical Psychology. “Students may become dependent on AI, diminishing selfe$cacy and resilience. Additionally, inaccurate or impersonal responses from AI can lead to frustration or misinformation, negatively impacting well-being,” School Psychologist Mackenzie Nordquist said.In today’s society, AI can even be seen as an outlet for people to talk to about their life or their own issues. However, this can obviously lead to the downside of people with social anxiety becoming more isolated a%er seeking comfort in AI. According to the Journal of Mental Health and Clinical Psychology, around 12 percent of individuals with mental health disorders explicitly use AI programs to manage their loneliness.“Overuse of AI may reduce critical thinking and problem-solving skills, as people become accustomed to automated assistance. It can also contribute to increased isolation if AI interactions replace human connections,” Norquist said.!ere is a shi% since the commercial usage of AI where people now rely on it for simple tasks. “Early experiences are showing that there is a trend of “Cognitive O'oading” in that people delegate tasks to AI that they would have needed to reason through di#erently in the past,” Marshall said. However, with the use of AI, like anything, in small increments and not high consumption is not bad for a person. In fact, with the wide covercover12 january january 13CO2Data centers consume several tons of water to maintain AI chatbots.AI consumes mass amounts of energy which contributes to the release of greenhouse gasses.Ai leads to a high increase in e-waste as microchips and batteries are sent to landfills.12 percent of individuals with mental health disorders explicitly use AI programs to manage their loneliness.By the year 2026, 150 million homes willhave AI voice assistants.
THE SCENEthe scene | football celebrationdesigner rylee bokesch | writer rylee bokesch14 | januaryfootball celebration | the scenejanuary | 15Senior linebacker Remley Bowen gives a speech at the Football State Championship celebration. “It was a great honor to be able to speak to all the people who have supported this program throughout our season. I will always be grateful to have such an awesome community this year,” Bowen said.
THE SCENEthe scene | football celebrationdesigner rylee bokesch | writer rylee bokesch14 | januaryfootball celebration | the scenejanuary | 15Senior linebacker Remley Bowen gives a speech at the Football State Championship celebration. “It was a great honor to be able to speak to all the people who have supported this program throughout our season. I will always be grateful to have such an awesome community this year,” Bowen said.
STASH YOUR SPOONSsnow day superstitionswriter lyla bice | designer taylor guzekOn a snowy Sunday night, you climb into bed with your pajamas inside out, double checking the early morning forecast and smile seeing that the possibility of snow in the early morning was over 70 percent. As your excitement races, you snuggle up in bed, trying to get comfortable despite the lump in your pillow from the spoon under it. Students of all ages for decades in the Northeast and Midwest have spent the night before an aspiring snow day doing strange rituals aimed at ensuring a day o!from school. \"ese activities, commonly referred to as snow day superstitions, are widespread and unite children and adults in a common anticipation.“Me and my brother w o u l d always partake in snow day superstitions like putting a spoon under the pillow or #ushing ice down the toilet. It was always a big thing for us when we saw that it was cold or snowy outside,” junior Nathan Hariths said.Although it is unsure where these seemingly r a n d o m superstitions came about, some claim that they stem from traditions or rituals performed to control the weather by groups such as Native Americans, according to Daily Break. To gauge how common snow day superstitions remain, the Courier sta!polled over 60 $%h graders from the district about these traditions. Over 60 percent of the respondents reported having attempted a superstition before. “I was a pretty avid snow day superstition kid, so I was putting a spoon under my pillow, wearing my pajamas inside out and #ushing ice down the toilet. It was a lot of fun,” junior Rynley White said.Out of the answers for favorite superstitions from the $%h graders, two thirds of the responses had #ushing ice down the toilet as their favorite superstition. \"is tradition is meant to cause the ground to become colder in hopes of snowfall.“Flushing ice down the toilet was my brother and I’s favorite tradition because it made our parents mad. \"ey would usually catch us doing it in the act so it was always a lot of fun to, do,” Hariths said. A n o t h e r silly but popular practice is to put any kind of spoon under your pillow, which is thought to help you dig your way out of a snowstorm. Other common superstitions include wearing pajamas inside out and backwards and putting a white crayon on a windowsill.“My favorite tradition was to put a spoon under my pillow because I had this one speci$c spoon at my house that I would use every time. It was a small blue spoon with characters from Winnie the Pooh on it,” junior Layne Jacob said.Snow days might just seem like a day for younger children to go sledding and have snowball $ghts, but older teen students also feel the relief of a day o!. Although not all older students feel the excitement of a fun day ahead in the snow, getting days o! from their heavy school workload can provide much needed breaks and opportunities to catch up on rest and relaxation.“I feel like I used to get excited for snow days when I was younger because I could just go out and have fun sledding or doing other winter stu! like drinking hot chocolate. Now I feel like I might get even more excited because of the fact that there is no school and I don’t have to worry about my homework or assignments,” Jacob said.Getting through the long, cold winter months is tiring for many people as the o%en gray weather can make things gloomy. However, lucky snow days help students to relieve stress, take some time for themselves and help to set them up for success. Snow days help brighten spirits and give students something to enjoy and look forward to.“I get pretty excited, especially if it’s a Monday a%er a weekend or if it’s a really work-heavy week, and I’m really tired. Sometimes I do use it to do my homework, or I’ll use it to get ahead on some of my schoolwork. I also de$nitely use that time to catch up on sleep,” White said.Although snow day superstitions aren’t scienti$cally proven to cause school closures, the excitement and anticipation of a day o! is what makes these traditions so memorable. So, the next time snow is on the forecast for the morning of a school day, make sure to #ush ice down the toilet, wear your pajamas inside out and put a lucky spoon under your pillow. No matter the superstition, nothing beats the feeling of waking up to knowing it worked.“I always get super excited when there is a snow day even now. It’s so fun to wake up and see all the snow outside, and then I get super excited to go back to bed,” Jacob said.culture16january
SUPERWOMANsenior gracelyn quaye’s sucesswriter abby kuilan | designer taylor guzek | permission to print gracelyn quayeLook, it’s a bird! It’s a plane! No it’s Gracelyn Quaye! While comparing a high school senior to a make-believe superhero may seem just a tad hyperbolic, Quaye is no regular high school student. She’s currently in the top !ve percent of her grade and has taken 15 AP courses throughout her high school career. I guess anyone could call her a super-woman.“I !nd it satisfying to challenge myself, whether it’s course load or new activities because I may learn something useful or interesting. Also, because I’m very competitive and kind of see it as a challenge. Although it’s a cliche, I really believe that knowledge is power. Not just taking school classes but !nding something you think is interesting and exploring it,” Quaye said.While being academically successful is no small feat, Quaye has much more to boast about. She’s currently the co-captain of the school’s congressional debate team and went to the state competition a\"er placing second at the district meet last season.“I !rst joined debate because it seemed it would be a great opportunity to have since I wanted to go into law,” Quaye said. “#e biggest thing I’ve learned is how to exude con!dence and practice public speaking. I also have learned how to help lead and coach others. I’ve de!nitely used these skills outside of debate in my daily life. I’m very thankful for all of these experiences.”Aside from being occupied with debate most of the school year, Quaye is also the leader of two other student clubs at the high school; she is the president of Black Empowerment Club and the vice president for Face2Face. “I’ve been in [Black Empowerment Club] for three years, and it’s the club that has truly been a monumental experience for me. It has helped me feel con!dent in my identity, and I’ve made so many amazing connections and memories with friends. We’re also fortunate to be the only school in the district with a Black History Month assembly during school,” Quaye said. Alongside her other previous accomplishments, Quaye truly showcases that she is the de!nition of a well-rounded student. She has played lacrosse since seventh grade and has been on the school’s varsity team since her sophomore year. She also has been playing the cello for the past eight years and is in the school’s chamber orchestra, the highest level orchestra, for the past two years.“She is kind simply to be kind. She has authentic respect for her peers and adults in her life. Gracelyn is very intelligent while also having an incredible work ethic, which is so rare and hard to beat,” Library Media Specialist Glenn Nunn said. Nunn has known Quaye since her sophomore year AP Seminar class. While such an obviously busy day-today life would take a toll on most people, Quaye thrives. #e reason for this is because she carries a genuine care for every single task she completes, whether it’s homework for her AP Statistics class or helping an underclassman with their speech for a debate competition. “It may be a basic answer, but my father is a huge role model for me. He’s always encouraged me to challenge myself and to also have empathy. I really believe empathy and kindness have helped me become a better leader and friend. #e other people I’ve looked up to have de!nitely been upperclassmen I have met and even some of my friends,” Quaye said. Quaye aspires to be an attorney and strives toward that by following her passion of civic engagement. She was a part of the Buckeye State Girls conference this summer where civic duties and lessons on local and state government were taught and volunteered at the polls during elections.“I am excited to see the impact she makes on the community and speci!cally the in$uence she will have on a new generation of girls. Gracelyn is a strong, smart, independent, driven woman. So, no matter what arena she decides to step in, I know she will always make a positive contribution because that is simply who she is,” Nunn said. While she may not actually be a superwoman, Quaye has the dedication, passion and kindness to ful!ll any role she desires, which will continue to happen even a\"er high school. “My biggest piece of advice is to not care about what others are doing or saying about you. Comparison truly is the thief of joy, and as long as you do things you like that’s all that matters. Next, I would encourage people to !nd something that they are truly passionate about and explore more about that. Whether it’s a speci!c subject, club or random curiosity— stay curious and challenge yourself. Not everything is about academics,” Quaye said. profilejanuary17Senior Gracelyn Quaye plays lacrosse against Hilliard Bradley last spring.Senior Gracelyn Quaye poses for her senior photos.
WINTER WORRIESpersonal experiences with seasonal depressionwriter ava pazak | designer ava mejia | infographic source mansfield news journalIt’s an early Tuesday morning in the middle of January. I can feel the excruciating cold awaiting me outside of my warm bed as the obnoxious alarm clock I got a month ago for Christmas blares in my ears, screaming at me to get up and ready for school.I want to silence the infuriating noise but can’t seem to muster the energy to reach over to my bedside table. Frustrated, I throw my pillow over my head and begin to feel a heavy dread seep into my stomach.I think of the long and stressful day ahead of me at school, the exhausting practice I have to go through a!erwards, and the pages upon pages of homework I will be subject to once I’m \"nally home. Only to be topped o# by countless hours of darkness, ending late in the morning but returning once again early into the night. Not to mention the miserable temperatures that nip at my nose and make my body shiver every time I step even a foot outsideMy eyes begin to tear up against my will and my throat tightens as I try to push down my emotions and quiet every thought in my mind telling how awful of a day it will be. I manage to get out of bed, but the heaviness on my shoulders and the despair in my mind continue to linger.Every cold, bitter winter, it seems as if each day is a constant battle to make it to the next, and simple tasks feel like impossible feats I have to muster all of my energy for. I have struggled with moderate depression from the age of 11, and my symptoms are only exacerbated by the dreariness of the winter months.As for others, winter is not just a catalyst for their depressive symptoms but the very reason for them in the \"rst place. $is occurrence is known as seasonal depression, or Seasonal A#ective Disorder (SAD).Licensed Mental Health $erapist Brittany Mendenhall has years of experience working with clients who struggle with mental health issues, several of whom have been diagnosed with Seasonal A#ective Disorder.“Seasonal depression is a type of depression that has a seasonal pattern and shows up around the same time every year (usually in the fall and winter). Seasonal depression can make school, work or even basic daily tasks feel harder,” Mendenhall said. “Seasonal mood changes can also happen where we may experience similar symptoms, but symptoms of seasonal mood changes do not impact our day-to-day functioning as much as SAD or general depression.”Abigail Wyko# is both a senior at the high school and a client of Mendenhall’s who has been diagnosed with Seasonal A#ective Disorder. Having dealt with it for a signi\"cant portion of her life, Wyko# has had to learn to navigate the ups and downs of the disorder. “My seasonal depression usually tends to get worse in midJanuary. Once the weather starts to drop and get gloomy, I start to feel a shi!, but I can usually make it through December in pretty high spirits because of the holidays,” Wyko# said.Each person diagnosed with this condition experiences it di#erently, but there are common symptoms and tell-tale signs of seasonal depression among the people it a#ects.Such symptoms include social isolation, lack of energy or motivation, di%culty with concentration and focus, persistent sadness or loss of interest.“One of the biggest issues that I have with my seasonal depression is my procrastination,” Wyko# said. “I lose a lot of my motivation and general stamina, so completing tasks like school work can become really di%cult.”While the root cause of Seasonal A#ective Disorder can be a variety of di#erent triggers, a common understanding among the psychology community is that a lack of vitamin D could be a common contributor.As the days get shorter and people spend more time indoors, the average person tends to take in signi\"cantly less amounts of vitamin D due to minimal sunlight exposure.“Your body makes vitamin D from sunlight, so when the days get shorter and darker, your levels naturally drop,” Mendenhall said. “And since vitamin D helps your brain make serotonin (the “feel-good” chemical), low levels can make your mood take a hit.”Depression during the bleak winter months is a di%cult battle I and many others face each year, and the e#ects it has on one’s mental well-being can be incredibly destructive.However, there are many resources available to those who struggle with the disorder and even in the most di%cult chapters of life, there is always hope.“Seasonal depression can feel overwhelming, but small, practical changes can make a real di#erence and can help your brain and body handle the winter months better,” Mendenhall said. “Predictable and steady sleep, exercise, staying connected with friends and family, eating nutritionally balanced meals, and individual mental health therapy are all ways you can help yourself when struggling with SAD.”feature18 january“Ohioans this year have searched ‘seasonal depression’ online more than those who live in any other state,” according to the Mans\"eld News Journal.
BALL DROP HISTORYthe nye tradition that spans generationsdesigner ava mejia | infographic source baruch college & the new york post featurejanuary19Buy the 2025-26 yearbook for $60 before the price rises on Jan.29!Go to yearbookforever.com1833 1907 1920 1942-43 19802000 2008 2020 2025!e \"rst “time-ball” was installed on England’s Royal Observatory atGreenwich. !is ball dropped at 1p.m. every day which allowed captains of nearby ships to set their chronometers to the exact time. !e \"rst New Year’s Eve ball made its decent in New York City. !e city celebrated NYE for three years before adding the ball drop to the celebration. !e \"rst ball was made of wood and iron and was decorated with 100 25-watt light bulbs. !e original ball was replaced with a new design that was 300 pounds lighter and made completely out of wrought iron.!e ceremony to ring in the new year was suspended because of wartime lighting restrictions. Regardless, crowds gathered in Times Square for a moment of silence, which was followed by the ringing of chimes from sound trucks parked at the base of Times Tower. During the 80s, the “I love New York” marketing campaign in#uenced the design of the ball. !e ball was transformed into an apple with a green stem and red light blubs. !is ball descended for seven years before a white ball was returned. To celebrate the millennium, the ball had a complete redesign and was covered with 504 Waterford Crystal triangles. It also contained 696 lights and 90 rotating pyramid mirrors that were controlled by a computer.“For New Year’s Eve in 2000 I was in grad school. I remember that people were concerned about Y2K because computers would misinterpret using two digits for years switching from ‘99’ back to ‘00’,” Science Teacher Jessica Timmons said.For the 100th anniversary of the Times Square Ball Drop tradition, the ball was upgraded to display modern LED lights that signi\"cantly increased the brightness and color capabilities of the ball.“In 2020, I remember spending New Year’s Eve with my family, hanging out, watching tv, and eating dinner together,” Senior Mya Maher said.!e ninth version of the New Year’s Eve Ball, !e Constellation Ball, will be displayed in Times Square to ring in 2026. !e sphere contains over 5000 Waterfoold crystals and is the largest to date, weighing almost 13,000 pounds.
SEASONAL SIPSa review of starbucks holiday drinks & treatswriter delaney newell | designer sophia robinson | permission to print delaney newellDuring the cold months of winter, nothing sounds better than cuddling up near a warm !replace and drinking a nice warm latte. Within the short winter time of early November to early January, the popular co\"ee shop Starbucks brings in some favorite seasonal drinks.#roughout the past weeks, I went to the Starbucks located in Polaris to try some of their famous holiday drinks. I tried the Gingerbread Chai, the Peppermint Mocha, the Hot Chocolate and lastly, the Cinnamon Dolce latte with a twist. With all of these drinks, I substituted the whole milk for almond milk. Some of the drinks I ordered online, some in the store, but every time I was treated well by the employees, by far my favorite Starbucks to visit.Starting o\" with the Gingerbread Chai latte, a grande costs $5.95, according to the Starbucks website. I would rate this drink a 7/10; it started o\" with a strong gingerbread taste with little chai, but the more I drank, the more chai I tasted. Overall, the drink was good, I would de!nitely recommend it opinion20 januaryStarbucks cinnamon dolce chai hot drink in the new holiday cup.Starbucks limited time polar bear cake pop.and try again. Next, I tried the Peppermint Mocha, which, according to Starbucks, the grande size costs $6.25. I would give this drink a 3/10. It’s not my favorite, and I personally do not like co\"ee. #e !rst sip of this drink tasted strongly of espresso and little to no peppermint. I did not enjoy this drink. I would de!nitely recommend this to someone who enjoys co\"ee, but for me, I would not try it again. A$er that, I got the classic Hot Chocolate; a grande costs $4.25, the cheapest of the drinks I’ve tasted. I would give this drink an 8/10; during a cold winter, there’s nothing better than a nice hot chocolate. #e !rst few sips were really strong and a little bitter, but a$er more, it started tasting much better like a hot chocolate I would’ve drank when I was little. #e drink I decided to try last was the Cinnamon Dolce latte, but because I am not a co\"ee fan, I decided to take the Chai latte, add four pumps of the cinnamon dolce syrup, whip cream and the cinnamon topping, which are the same ingredients as the co\"ee version.#e original latte costs $5.75 but making it a chai moved the price up to $6.75. #ough I am not a fan of the price bump, this drink was really good. I give this drink a 9/10; I personally think the whip cream and cinnamon topping didn’t add anything to the drink. I also feel like they could remove a pump of the cinnamon as it was a little overpowering, but if someone loves cinnamon and wishes there was a non-co\"ee cinnamon dolce latte option, I would de!nitely recommend it. #e last menu item I tried was not a drink, but I couldn’t do a review on Starbucks and not buy myself a cake pop. #is winter, they brought in a polar bear cake pop. I rate this a 10/10; nothing can go wrong with a good cake pop, though it was a little pricey, costing $3.45. Going into it, I didn’t know what the %avor would be, but it was a classic vanilla cake. My friend hoped for a fun winter %avor but I was happy with the plain %avor as the cute polar bear design made up for it, and don’t forget about the crunch of the chocolate.
COUNT YOUR COINSthe end of the penny erawriter abigail simmons | designer & permisson to print sophia robinson | infographic source history.comWith the economy growing and changing constantly, a major event has happened. According to USA Today, America’s last penny (for now) was struck at the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia on Nov. 12. !is milestone marks the, at least, temporary end of the production of the penny.According to the United States Mint, the Secretary of Treasury decided to suspend the production of the penny this year. !is is the \"rst time a Secretary of Treasury decided that producing the penny was unecessary for the United States. !is is a huge change for the country as the penny has been produced since 1793.In my opinion, this is a great idea. In many ways, it will positively impact the economy and the country overall. First of all, pennies will still be available, just not produced any longer. Pennies will still exist in mass, due to the fact that in 2024 alone, the US Mint produced and shipped around 3.2 billion pennies. !at is a very, very large number of pennies, and that is one year alone.!is change will also help the government sector as well. Firstly, the penny is just not cost e#ective to make any longer. Recently, it was determined that the cost of producing one penny is 3.69 cents, which has signi\"cantly increased from a decade ago, when it cost merely 1.42 cents to produce a penny.!e production of pennies has actually cost the government to lose money, and by stopping the production of this coin, the government can save more money. !e US Mint predicts they will save around $56 million per year when they stop producing the penny.To me, this sounds like a very smart move and will help our government save a lot of money. Along with this, the penny can still be used, meaning it de\"nitely won’t be going away and will still exist like the $2 bill. Many Americans will probably still have pennies lying around somewhere. So, if someone is sad to see the penny go, just know it won’t truly disappear. Due to my lack of cash spending, I have tons of coins laying around my house, so I’m sure there opinionjanuary 21DID YOU KNOW? penny facts'Penny' OriginallyThe word “penny” aReferred to Any Coinnd its variations across Europe, originally denoted any sort of coin or money, not just a small denomination.'One-Cent Piece' The official term for the American penny is “one-cent piece.”‘Lincoln Cent’In 1909, Teddy Roosevelt introduced the Lincoln cent, (known as the penny) to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the 16th U.S. president’s birth.A Lithuanian ImmigrantDesigned the Image of LincolnThe image of Abraham Lincoln on today’s American pennies was designed by Victor David Brenner, an acclaimed medalist who emigrated to the United States from Lithuania in 1890.will be no lack of pennies in the United States.Another important factor to consider is online banking or payment. According to the World Economic Forum in Oct 2022, 41 percent of Americans pay for none of their weekly regular purchases with cash. I can only assume that this number has gone up, due to things like Apple Pay, Greenlight cards for kids and more. Honestly, I can’t remember the last time I paid for anything with cash. It simply isn’t necessary. At least from my experience, many places (especially sporting events) have gone cashless, and it isn’t even an option to use cash. And I also assume from experience that this number will go up just as it has in recent years. Apple Pay, especially, is such an easy and convenient way to purchase things that I believe it will be used more than cash very soon.With digital banking and payment, the exact sum of money will be taken out of the account I use to pay for something, which means pennies, coins or any form of physical money will be unnecessary, as the transaction will occur solely online. With such an uptick in online payments, pennies aren’t truly that useful, since everything occurs online.Also, by simply looking around a store or online, there is really nothing people can buy with a couple pennies anyhow. !ere is truly no bene\"t to having pennies.!is leads me to the very reasonable conclusion that pennies are simply not worth producing anymore. Besides for keepsake (which can be done using existing minted pennies), there are no pros to penny production. It’s clear to see that in this situation, the cons heavily outweigh the pros.Especially in this age of digital payment and banking, the usefulness of physical money will soon be over. Although this is a very sad truth, it is honestly inevitable. !e average person no longer uses cash, and it is clear to see this will not end anytime soon.!e production of pennies is simply just not worth all the cons.
or “worse.” We look at dents in statues, chipped pieces of ivory and bronze, and that doesn’t make the statue any less beautiful, does it? !ere are paw prints of a cat on some ancient scrolls out there. !ere are co\"ee stains on someone’s manuscript. !ere are #ngerprints. !ere’s life in those pages. !ere’s struggle. When I dunk on AI, I’m not criticizing sentence structure or word choice or $at characters. I don’t care about any of that—there are human writers who make those same mistakes. And guess what? !ose imperfections, those dents and stains and prints? I wouldn’t exchange them for anything. I want to hold something in my hands and think, human being wrote this. I want to know that what I’m writing is someone who tried their best to say everything they could, someone who cried and raged and still ended up with these words, these footprints they le% behind on their long journey. Because the words in my hand proved that someone felt. !at someone lived. So, instead of complaining or dunking, that’s what I want you to do. If you choose to do something a%er you $ip this page, I want you to create something. I want you to listen to the stories in your blood. I want you to harness the feel of the sun on your skin and the glow of the moon and the coolness of water and the heat of #re because no machine can ever have all of that. Your memories and pain, your nightmares and dreams, all of that. And yeah, that might sound cringe or over-the-top, but I don’t care. At least I can be that way. I can be human. And that’s what counts. !is is an overlong rant, yes, but at least I can rant. I can make something worthwhile. So can you. Just $ip this page. What you do next can prove that you’re human, that you’re alive. And when you’re gone one day, people #nd it and know all they need to know about us. We lived. the effects of modern techcolumnist shiv majmudar | designer savanna smith a lawsuit against OpenAI for using the books of notable authors—among them big names such as George R.R. Martin, Jodi Picoult, Michael Chabon and John Grisham—to train their models. What that means, of course, is that these companies feed pages and pages of copyrighted work into their processors. Without permission, of course. And compensation? Forget about it. !at’s the%. It’s wrong. And that’s why, as reported by the Guardian just a few days ago, OpenAI lost the lawsuit. Which is a win, yes, but it also shows that we live in a changed world. It’s only been three years since ChatGPT was introduced, and publishers are already putting “no-AItraining” clauses on their books. It’s on that small page with the copyright info. Books may look the same, but if you look closely, the face of the industry has changed overnight. Is that all? You wish. I’m just getting started.It may feel redundant to dunk on AIgenerated pieces of writing, sure. But is it redundant to preserve what makes us human, time a%er time? I think that’s what it’s about. !at the $esh and blood of us is being swapped slowly for metal and gears. !at we’re not only becoming dependent on machines but becoming them ourselves. Why do writers hate AI? Why should you? Writing is the way we express ourselves. We don’t want to write a novel with “the click of a button.” We don’t want to write a short story by “clicking a link.” We want to write what only we can write. And we want to be heard. !e world is a lonely place, and a place we seek connection is through books. Even if you suspend your disbelief, delude yourself into thinking that a machine spitting out paragraphs, you’re missing the point. It isn’t a question of writing “better” I’ve got a big, oozing splinter in my side. I don’t really like to use this space to express my gripes (I only get one issue per month, and there’s enough vitriol and negativity in the world, so I’d much rather say nice things, thanks). To be completely honest, I do have my share of hot takes and bad opinions, particularly in my chosen #eld of books and movies, but it’s best to keep them to myself. Why? Because my attitude towards most things in the world—at least towards stu\" created by humans—is, I’m glad this exists. And I mean that. !e world is rough and scary, and art is the way we deal with it, #nd ways to create beauty of darkness, etc, and cue the ramblings of the writer. But we all have our splinters in our sides, yes, the kinds we like to worry about, poke, pick at until our #ngers bleed. And sometimes, the way to gain some real satisfaction is to indulge in a 700-word complaining session. But no. !is isn’t all complaining. I wouldn’t bore you with that. I guess what I’m trying to do is convert the skeptics. And have some fun, too. Because, come on: AI-bashing pieces (and this is one, as you can tell) are kind of fun. In the way that scratching a particularly bad itch is, I think. You’ll rub your skin raw, but at the same time, you feel like you’re really doing something, getting rid of that problem. What it is, though, is just numbness. And sooner or later, that itch will come back—worse than ever, furious and demanding to be scratched again. I’ve refrained from scratching this itch of mine, from pulling this splinter out. But I can’t really help myself. Can you blame me? How does one get through 2025—with its AI-generated memes plastered over the internet, the government using it to create cringe propaganda, billboard-topping fake-songs, generated pages of garbage on the internet—and avoid confronting the truth: it sucks. It feels dystopian. For those who create art, it’s even worse.Recently, the Authors Guild #led THE SCREENcolumn22 january& THE PAGE WITH SHIV
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