What the Pope Just Told Students About AI and Homework...

DISCOVERING AI: Igniting Human Potential
By Amy D. Love, Founder of DISCOVERING AI and of the Global FAMILY AI GAME PLAN initiative

And Why It Matters to Every Family

For generations, the homework question every parent asked was simple:

• Did you get it done?

In the Age of AI, the question has shifted to something far more important:

• How did you get it done?

Last week, Pope Leo XIV spoke directly to thousands of students during the National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis. The moment was livestreamed into classrooms and homes, and it delivered one of the clearest messages any global leader has shared about AI and children.

His words resonated instantly with families who are trying to understand what responsible use looks like.

“AI can process information quickly. It cannot replace human intelligence.”

“And do not ask it to do your homework for you.”

“It cannot offer real wisdom.”

The room went still. Then something important happened.

A Student Admitted Exactly What So Many Children Feel

The event moderator introduced a student who described his struggle with AI. He explained that the tools make homework faster, so he feels pressure to use them. He knows he is not learning as deeply. He sees classmates relying heavily on AI. He feels torn, unsure of the right path.

In front of thousands of peers, he admitted what many children feel yet rarely say aloud.

• He needs help.

• He wants guidance.

• He wants to understand how to use AI without losing who he is becoming.

The Pope responded with clarity that spoke directly to the heart of this moment.

“AI will not judge between what is truly right and wrong.”

“AI will not stand in wonder before the beauty of God’s creation.”

“Use it in such a way that if it disappeared tomorrow, you would still know how to think, how to create, how to act on your own, how to form authentic friendships.”

This is one of the most important messages families could hear right now. It captures the very reason parents are joining a national movement to complete a FAMILY AI GAME PLAN™.

Why This Moment Is Bigger Than Homework

AI is reshaping schoolwork faster than parents and teachers can keep pace. A ninth grader’s algebra assignment that once required an hour can now be completed in under a minute with Gemini, ChatGPT, and many other readily available AI models. Parents describe feeling confused. Teachers see inconsistencies in student work. Students feel pressure to use tools they know may undermine their learning.

This is why the core homework question has changed.

Completion is no longer the measure. Process…

• Reveals everything.

• Shapes character.

• Builds wisdom.

Children are not asking for more rules. They are asking for clarity. They are asking for alignment. They are asking for adults to help them make sense of a world where shortcuts feel available at every turn.

Families Need a Plan. Schools Need Partnership. Students Need Clarity.

The FAMILY AI GAME PLAN™ gives families one page where expectations become clear across schoolwork, home routines, and values. It helps parents answer questions that every student is wrestling with.

• What is OK for schoolwork

• What requires guidance

• What is paused

• How to align expectations with teachers 

• How to prevent shortcuts that weaken learning

• How to build skills that enhance thinking instead of replacing it

Teachers appreciate this clarity because it reduces stress and confusion. Parents appreciate it because it turns a source of anxiety into a place of confidence. Students appreciate it because the rules feel consistent and fair.

This is how trust grows in the Age of AI. Clarity makes learning stronger. Alignment strengthens the trifecta between parents, teachers and administrators, and students.

What the Pope Said Aligns with What Research Shows

When the Pope tells students that AI cannot create wisdom, judge right from wrong, or stand in authentic wonder, he is describing the gap AI can never fill.

This gap is precisely where the six essential traits come in. These traits help children stand out in a world where answers come quickly and thinking comes from practice, curiosity, and human guidance.

• Adaptability

• Critical Thinking

• Creativity

• Emotional Intelligence

• Technological Fluency

• Initiative

While AI supports learning, children strengthen their futures through the traits that AI cannot produce.

Children Want Help. Families Are Ready. Schools Need Support.

The most powerful part of the Pope’s exchange with the student was not the guidance itself. It was the fact that a child admitted he needs help navigating AI.

• Children are asking for clarity.

• They are asking for purpose.

• They are asking for guidance that reflects strong values and the real world they are entering.

Parents recognize this. Teachers recognize it too. And families across the country are discovering that the FAMILY AI GAME PLAN™ gives them a simple, shared, values-aligned way to respond.

• This is why our national movement is growing.

• This is why communities are reaching out.

• This is why your participation matters.

A National Movement Needs All of Us

If you want to help more families and schools gain clarity, here is the most important next step:

Share the email of a school administrator who would benefit from learning about the FAMILY AI GAME PLAN™.

We follow up with care. We offer guidance and support. We help schools align with parents in ways that make learning stronger and relationships healthier.

It takes less than 30 seconds to share a contact. It makes a genuine difference.

Thank you for being part of a movement that prepares every child to thrive in the Age of AI.

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When families lead with clarity, technology follows with purpose.

Download your free FAMILY AI GAME PLAN™ at DiscoveringAI.org

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𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐈: Igniting Human Potential

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