Imagine living in a world with no water. All because you wanted the easy way out. Not understanding math? ChatGPT. Don’t want to, write an essay? ChatGPT. Work too long? ChatGPT. They say work smarter not harder when our world is going to be working the hardest if we continue to answer these questions like we usually do.
“I think that the use of AI and ChatGPT in general should be very limited and monitored very carefully,” said Immaculata-La Salle (ILS) junior Camila Echeverri. Her opinion reflects a growing concern among students who are starting to realize that just because something is helpful doesn’t mean it’s harmless.
This issue becomes even more serious when ones thinks about the future of water on Earth vis a vis the increased need for water to run the energy plants needed for artificial intelligence. Freshwater, unlike saltwater, is not unlimited, and scientists have been warning for years about shortages caused by climate change, pollution, and overuse. Some estimates even suggest that we may only have enough accessible freshwater for the next 13 generations if current trends continue. Even though that number might not be exact, it still shows how serious the problem is. When technologies like AI require massive amounts of water to function, it adds even more pressure to a resource that is already at risk.
Ms. Meghan Cohen, an ILS French teacher, shared her thoughts.
“I don’t know if I have done a lot of consideration of that factor and I think that this is something else to consider. I don’t like the effect that ChatGPT has on our student academics. I think that we should be using it as a tool and not replacing our brains with it and now that I know about the environmental impact, I think that we need to be very wary of our use and have limited access to it. I honestly had no idea about this information. I think it’s incredibly alarming. I think we need to be educated about this a lot more.”
Her response shows that even teachers are just starting to understand how complex this issue really is.
Besides environmental concerns, there is also a growing debate about how AI affects intelligence and learning. When students rely too much on tools like ChatGPT, they might not actually learn the material they just get the answer. Over time, this could weaken critical thinking skills and make them less independent when it comes to solving problems. Learning is supposed to involve effort, mistakes, and practice, but AI can sometimes remove that process completely.
“I just think that ChatGPT is constantly making us dumber as a society. And I think that the more I use ChatGPT, the less I’m actually learning. So my goal is to not use it at all in college so I can actually learn something because imagine a doctor having to look up how many ounces of medicine to give a patient. So I think we all need to stop using it collectively and that’ll help our brains but most importantly as well as our environment,” said junior Liv Serra.
Her point might sound extreme, but it highlights a real fear about becoming too dependent on technology.
At the same time, it’s important to recognize that AI is not completely negative. It has helped people in many ways, from improving education to increasing productivity. Students can use it to better understand difficult topics, and professionals can use it to work more efficiently. Like most technology, it’s not about whether it exists, now it’s about how we choose to use it.
Junior Liam Terry shared a more balanced opinion:
“I think that it is not very good that ChatGPT uses that much water. Although I think that in return it is helping us advance as a society.”
His perspective shows that even though there are downsides, there are also real benefits that can’t be ignored.
Still, one of the biggest challenges is that many people feel like their individual actions don’t matter. With millions of users around the world, it can feel pointless to try to reduce personal usage. This mindset can make it harder for real change to happen, even if people understand the issue.
“What I think about it is that I’ll probably still use it (AI), but it is a big problem for the environment. Even if I stop using it, it’s not going to change anything because other millions of people use it anyway,” said junior Ignacio Maestu.
His response shows how easy it is to recognize a problem, yet still feel stuck when it comes to doing something about it.
In the end, the rise of AI is forcing society to think more carefully about the balance between convenience and responsibility. While tools like ChatGPT are incredibly useful, they also come with environmental and intellectual consequences.
“I think that these types of problems happen because it affects people’s critical thinking skills,” said Mr. Paul Dean, ILS math teacher.
His statement reminds everyone that this issue isn’t just about water or technology—-it’s about how a society can be able to think, learn, and function.
Overall, AI is not something that can be completely avoided, but it does need to be applied more thoughtfully by finding a balance between utilizing it as a helpful tool and not depending on it too much so that society can take advantage of its benefits without ignoring its costs.
For further information on this topic, check out these interesting links:
World enters era of ‘global water bankruptcy’ | UN NewsUN Newshttps://news.un.org › story › 2026/01
ChatGPT Defeated Doctors at Diagnosing Illness – The New York Times
![[From top row, left to right] Credits: wikipedia, CommonApp, Yale University
[From bottom row, left to right] A TikToker famous for offering ghostwriting services, USAToday diagram of the Varsity Blues scandal, illustrate some of what aspiring students who wish to do things the right way, the ethical way, are up against.](https://ilsroyalcourier.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/IMG_0544.jpeg)
