Explainers & Articles

Background Reading
and Plain-Language Guides

Clear explainers on what AI is, how it works, and what it means for learners and educators. No jargon. No hype.

Start here

What is AI? A plain-language explainer

AI stands for artificial intelligence. Here is what that actually means, in plain language, for people of any background.

What is generative AI?

Generative AI creates content. Text, images, code. Here is how it works, what it can do, and what the limitations are.

Using AI responsibly in school

A clear guide to what responsible AI use means, how it varies by age, and how to think through AI decisions for school work.

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AI Basics

What is AI? A plain-language explainer

Start here. Clear, simple definition of AI without buzzwords or hype. Good for any audience.

What is generative AI?

How generative AI creates text, images, and code. Includes what it's good for and where it falls short.

How do AI tools learn?

What training data is, how patterns work, and why AI does not actually "know" things the way people do.

AI is a tool — not magic

Addressing common misconceptions about AI capabilities. What AI can and cannot do, written clearly.

Why AI makes mistakes

Why AI produces confident wrong answers (hallucinations), where they come from, and how to protect against them.

AI in everyday life

A walkthrough of where AI already exists in apps, devices, and services most people use every day.

Responsible Use

Using AI responsibly in school

What responsible use looks like at different grade levels. How to think through school AI decisions.

Supporting learning vs. replacing it

The key question students and families need to ask about any AI use in school assignments.

What is academic integrity in the age of AI?

How to navigate academic integrity policies, disclosure expectations, and assignment-specific guidance.

Bias, Ethics & Fairness

Where AI bias comes from

Training data, design choices, and whose voices are prioritized — and how that shows up in outputs.

Who is responsible for AI outputs?

A plain-language explainer on the chain of responsibility from developers to users — including students.

AI and creative work

What happens to authorship, originality, and artistic credit when AI is part of the creative process.

AI in Film, Media & Culture

AI in film and media production

How AI tools are being used in video, visual effects, storytelling, and post-production workflows.

AI and visual storytelling

Image generation tools, what they can and can't do, and what they mean for visual storytellers.

Media literacy in an AI world

How AI changes what we need to know about evaluating photos, videos, and written content online.

For Educators

Teaching AI literacy without being a tech expert

You do not need to be an AI expert to teach this well. Here is what you actually need to know.

How to talk to families about AI

Sample language, common questions, and how to bridge home and school conversations about AI use.

Age-appropriate AI concepts at a glance

A summary chart of which AI concepts are appropriate at each grade band, and why.

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