In this episode, Meryl talks with Sophia Alvarez de la Hoz, a former student in Meryl’s AI for Teens class. Sophia shares what she knew about AI before taking the course, what surprised her, and how her understanding changed as she learned about topics such as large language models, AI ethics, red teaming, and responsible use.

Sophia also explains how she currently uses AI tools for schoolwork and personal projects. She discusses using NotebookLM to study and an AI image generator to develop the design for her eighth-grade graduation cap.

The conversation addresses an important question for homeschool families: How can students use AI for support without allowing it to do the thinking for them? Sophia shares practical strategies, including asking AI to explain a concept without revealing the answer and recognizing when the tool is completing too much of the learning process.

Other topics discussed include:

• Why using AI to cheat ultimately harms the student
• The risk of becoming overly dependent on AI
• How AI may affect future careers
• The importance of understanding how AI works
• Future AI tools that could assist people with disabilities
• Why teens need a balanced understanding of AI
• The skills students should develop as AI becomes more common

Sophia’s central message is that AI is a tool whose value depends greatly on how it is used. Students need opportunities to understand its capabilities, limitations, risks, and ethical implications so they can make informed decisions.

Resources Mentioned

AI for Teens class from FundaFunda Academy:
AI for Teens is a one-semester, half-credit elective designed for students in grades 7–12.

NotebookLM:
https://notebooklm.google.com/