Kids Think AI Is "Cringe" and Use It Anyway

Inside our biggest Cyber Civics update yet, with curriculum specialist Soni Albright.

A seventh grader asks an AI chatbot to write her essay. Is that cheating? Is that normal teenage curiosity? Or something in between? Ask ten teachers and you'll get ten answers. Ask her classmates, though, and you might hear something different.

Our curriculum specialist Soni Albright has been noticing it in her own classrooms: students use AI constantly, and they think it's cringe. Not dangerous, not thrilling, but “yucky.” They don’t like it, but reach for it anyway.

You don't learn that from a survey. You learn it from a room full of kids talking to each other, out loud, with no screens in front of them. Which is exactly how Cyber Civics has worked for sixteen years—and exactly why our 2026-27 update turned out to be our biggest yet.

Our Biggest Update Yet

AI is moving at lightning speed. We want kids to be ready for it; not just able to use the tools, but able to think clearly about what those tools are doing to them.

Cyber Civics has always been device-free, discussion-based, and teacher-led. Sixteen years ago, that made us the outlier. Today, schools everywhere are pulling devices out of classrooms (see the Screen Time in Schools tracker) and we're leaning into what we've been doing all along, harder than ever.

You'll find more activities, more ethical thinking prompts, and, for teachers who use the slides and videos, new videos created by our young producers. There are new lessons we're especially excited about too.

I talked with Soni about what changed this year and what surprised her along the way. Here's what she said.

What new lesson stands out the most for you?

The "History of AI" lesson in Level 2 sounds like it could be a bore, but actually tells us so much about the world we are living in today. Most people don't realize that the name "Artificial Intelligence" was a marketing gimmick to get more investors, not actually based on whether the machine was truly intelligent. Kids love hearing the backstory about the things they see in their daily lives, and this lesson doesn't disappoint.

Which new lesson did you have the most fun teaching?

Both of the lessons about online gambling. When I wrote this lesson, I was trying to think of a way to actually show gambling with my students, in a way that was still ethical and that adhered to school rules. And because this topic is so relevant and my students see gambling everywhere online right now (games, sports, chats, videos, advertising, etc.), they had a lot to share and say about this topic. I learned just as much as my students when I taught this lesson.

What is the most important thing you learned from teaching a lesson this year?

I'm realizing more and more that being a media literacy teacher (or any teacher, for that matter) is much more about modeling curiosity, ethical decision-making, and high standards than it is about the content itself. In media literacy, the content changes year to year—or sometimes even week to week! But the life lessons don't. Helping kids become thoughtful, responsible people, and giving them the habits, tools, and mindset to navigate whatever comes next...those are the things that last forever.

What changes in the curriculum are you most excited about?

Every year when we review the curriculum, I'm always thinking about the students sitting in today's classrooms. So much has changed since I first started teaching Cyber Civics 13 years ago. Students spend far more time online and, as a result, often have fewer opportunities to engage in meaningful discussion, debate, and collaborative work with their peers. That's why I'm especially proud that we've leaned into those needs by placing an even greater emphasis on cooperative learning activities. People are often surprised by this because we're a digital literacy curriculum—they assume everything must be digital or happen online. In reality, we do more offline because students need opportunities to practice communication, collaboration, and critical thinking face-to-face if they're going to apply those same skills effectively in digital spaces.

What would you say to a teacher who it reticent about teaching this topic?

Nobody expects you to be a tech expert—that's not what Cyber Civics is about! Do you care about helping your students become thoughtful, responsible citizens? Do you want them to think critically? Do you already have a sense of the skills they'll need to be successful in life? If so, you're more than ready to teach Cyber Civics, and your students need what you have to offer. The best thing you can bring to this class isn't technical expertise—it's curiosity. When you approach these topics with a willingness to learn alongside your students, you model exactly the kind of mindset we're trying to help them develop.

What surprises you most about kids and digital media today?

Well, one big thing is the attitudes I see about AI. Though I do see a bit of a difference between Gen Alpha (middle school students) and Gen Z (older high school students). Gen Alpha is more accepting of AI-generated slop, whereas Gen Z has a clear strong reaction towards it. For the most part, my anecdotal evidence is that it's roundly seen as inferior and sort of yucky ('cringe,' my kids say). It's odd because they do admit to using it... quite a bit, and yet they feel strongly that it is an inferior experience/product. 

What's your favorite meme?

How far back? I wowed my kids by pulling up the "Damn, Daniel" meme from 2016 recently (it's still silly!). But what is interesting about memes is that there is an entire cultural component around them. There are meme channels, meme categories, and meme formats (like a template so you can put your own words on the concept! Who knew?) Anyway, I learn a lot from my kids and my students. It's the best part about being around young people.

Diana Graber is the founder and director of Cyber Civics and Cyberwise. She is also the author of "Raising Humans in a Digital World" (HarperCollins Leadership).