Parents sue school over son's AI use

Good morning! Grab your favorite drink, because it’s thirsty Thursday and our AI news is extra salty. 🥤

🤯 MYSTERY AI LINK 🤯

(The mystery link can lead to ANYTHING AI-related: tools, memes, articles, videos, and more…)

🔨 AI TOOLS OF THE DAY

👍 FactBot: Check any fact in seconds. → Check it out

😎 Meshy: Create stunning 3D models with AI. → Check it out

📝 Paperguide: An AI-powered research paper writing platform. → Check it out

PARENTS SUE SCHOOL AFTER SON GETS DETENTION FOR AI USE 😅

Q: Why do people think Superman is an overprotective parent?

A: His kids are always under super-vision. 🦸‍♂️

What’s up? The parents of a Massachusetts high school student are suing the Hingham Public School District after their child was disciplined for using AI tools on a history project.

What did the parents say? Dale and Jennifer Harris argue that the school's punishment—a Saturday detention and a grade of 65%—has damaged their son’s chances of being accepted into prestigious universities, such as Stanford. The parents claim their son's previously “exemplary record” has now been tarnished due to what they see as an unfair penalty. The mother is calling this an “abuse of power,” stating, “He’s an A student, an A plus student. He has gotten so many awards from the school before and after this … He doesn’t need to cheat.” She added, “My son’s rights have been violated and he’s being treated differently.”

What did the school say? The school district is rightly pushing back on this (very odd) lawsuit. According to the student handbook, the use of AI tools to imitate any work other than one’s own is considered a violation of academic integrity. The district argues that the punishment was fair and relatively lenient, emphasizing that allowing this lawsuit to proceed could open the door for future legal challenges over routine school discipline. They filed a motion to dismiss the case, asserting that decisions about student discipline, including grading, should remain within the authority of the school and not the courts.

Why is this important? Competing views over AI’s use in the classroom are beginning to clash in schools across the globe. As institutions and students continue to figure out what to do about AI, let’s just hope for less drama from parents.

U.S. GOVERNMENT CONSIDERS EXTENDING CHIP BANS TO MIDDLE EAST 🚫

Did you hear Trump wants to ban the sale of pre-shredded cheese? He wants to make America “grate” again. 🤣

What’s going on? The Biden administration is considering limiting the sale of advanced AI chips to certain countries, including those in the Middle East. This would extend current bans beyond China.

Want the details? In the Middle East, there is a growing demand for AI technology and massive investment in AI data centers. The U.S. Government, however, is worried that exporting such chips could power military applications in these countries and lead to national security threats. Earlier this year, the U.S. slowed down the approval process for exporting AI chips to the Middle East. While the U.S. Commerce Department has allowed some flexibility in exporting these chips for data center development, the government is now considering tighter controls. They are conducting a national security review to assess potential risks associated with AI technology in Middle Eastern countries to help inform this decision.

Why is this important? Chip bans in China have already caused a substantial dent in the revenue of American chip manufacturers like AMD and Nvidia. Expanding on those bans will likely stifle revenue from global markets even further. For instance, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which has made numerous investments in U.S. tech startups, has set aside $40 billion to invest in AI technology. Sure, Nvidia is doing just fine in the U.S. market alone, but other countries pouring money into the U.S. isn’t the worst thing in the world.

AMAZON (ALSO) GOES NUCLEAR ⚛️

It’s “prime” time for nuclear power solutions! 🔋

What’s up? Following Google’s partnership with Kairos Power and Microsoft’s acquisition of Three Mile Island, Amazon has announced several new nuclear power deals aimed at providing more sustainable energy for AI systems.

Want the details? Amazon is focusing on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), which are more compact than traditional nuclear reactors and easier to deploy. The company has signed three major agreements to support SMR development. One of these includes a collaboration with Energy Northwest to build four reactors in Washington state, which could generate 960 megawatts of power by the early 2030s. Amazon is also partnering with Dominion Energy to explore an SMR project in Virginia and is investing $500 million in SMR developer X-energy to further expand nuclear energy projects. These investments align with Amazon’s goal to transition to carbon-free energy sources, which nuclear power can provide at scale. However, challenges remain, as SMR technology is still developing and awaits regulatory approval.

TASTE-TEST THURSDAY 🍽️

HAS AI REACHED SINGULARITY? CHECK OUT THE FRY METER BELOW: