Share AI Stuff Honestly: It Builds Trust

The big idea

If you post art, writing, music, or videos that AI helped you make, just say so. People appreciate honesty. Hiding it and getting caught is way worse than just being upfront.

Some examples

• Honest: 'I made this with AI. Here's what I changed.'
• Honest: 'AI helped me brainstorm; the writing is mine.'
• Sneaky: claiming AI work as 100% your own.
• Sneaky: pretending you took an AI photo yourself.

Try it!

Look at one piece of content you shared online recently. If AI helped, was that clear? If not, would adding a note feel okay?

Be Honest When AI Helped You

The big idea

If AI helped you write a story or fix your homework, it's good to say so. Being honest builds trust. Hiding help is like cheating in a game.

Some examples

• Tell your teacher: 'I used AI to brainstorm ideas.'
• Add a note: 'AI helped me edit this.'
• Talk to a parent before turning in AI work.
• Don't pretend AI's words are yours.

Try it!

Think of a time AI could help you. Make a plan for how you'd tell your teacher or parent about it.

How to talk about AI help with teachers and parents

Telling someone you used AI doesn't mean confessing to something wrong — in most cases, it's simply a fact about your process. Different teachers and different schools have different rules about AI use, so the honest approach is to ask before you use it for school assignments and to tell the truth about your process when you do. There are ways to be honest about AI use that also show your own contribution clearly. Instead of just saying 'AI wrote this,' you can say 'I used AI to brainstorm ideas, then I chose the best one and wrote about it in my own words.' That's more accurate and shows that you actually thought and made decisions. The goal isn't to make AI invisible — it's to be clear about who did what, so that teachers can teach you what you actually need to learn, and so that you get credit for your genuine contributions.

• Ask your teacher about AI rules before you start an assignment — not after
• Describe your process honestly: what AI helped with, what you did yourself
• Being honest about AI use protects you from being accused of cheating later
• When in doubt, do more yourself and use AI less for school assignments

AI and Saying It Was AI: Telling People When You Used It

The big idea

If AI helped you make a story, picture, or project, it's honest to tell people. You can say 'I used AI for this part' or 'AI helped me brainstorm.' Honesty builds trust.

Some examples

• Add a tiny note: 'Made with AI help'.
• Tell your teacher how you used AI on a project.
• Be proud of the parts YOU did.
• Don't pretend AI work was 100% yours.

Try it!

Make something with AI today — a poem, a drawing, a story. When you share it, add a note saying AI helped.

Different situations call for different levels of disclosure

How you disclose AI help depends on the context. For school assignments, most teachers want to know specifically how AI was used — not just 'I used AI' but 'I used AI to brainstorm a list of ideas and then chose the best one and developed it myself.' This level of detail helps teachers understand what you actually learned and what skills you practiced. For creative projects you're sharing with friends, a simple 'AI helped with this part' is usually enough. For anything you're publishing or posting publicly, transparency protects your credibility — if someone later finds out AI was involved and you didn't say so, that damages your reputation more than the disclosure would have. The good news is that most people respond positively to honest AI disclosure — it shows you understand the tools, you're not trying to hide anything, and you're being thoughtful about how you use technology. Honesty about AI is a strength signal, not a weakness signal.

• For school: describe specifically what AI helped with and what you did yourself
• For public sharing: proactive disclosure protects your reputation
• Being caught hiding AI involvement is more damaging than disclosing it upfront
• Honesty about tools signals intelligence and integrity, not weakness

AI and saying it's AI: tell the truth about who made it

The big idea

If a robot painted half your picture, that's part of the story. Telling people 'an AI helped' is being honest, just like saying a friend helped you bake cookies.

Some examples

• Write 'AI helped me' on a poster the AI helped draw
• Tell your teacher when AI suggested an idea
• Say so when an AI wrote part of a card
• Add a tiny note on a video that an AI made the music

Try it!

Pick something an AI helped you with this week. Add a one-sentence note that says how the AI helped. Show a grown-up.

AI and not tricking friends: pranks vs. lies

The big idea

AI can make a funny robot voice or a silly photo of a cat in a hat. That's a prank everyone laughs at. But making a fake voice that sounds like your friend's mom to trick them — that's a lie that hurts trust.

Some examples

• A silly AI cat picture is a prank
• An AI voice pretending to be a real person is a lie
• A cartoon-style AI photo of yourself is fun
• An AI photo of someone in trouble they didn't do is mean

Try it!

Think of one funny AI thing that everyone would laugh at. Now think of one that would make someone upset. Notice the difference.

AI and respecting when AI says 'I don't know'

The big idea

An AI helper that admits it doesn't know is being honest, not weak.

Some examples

• Some AI tools refuse questions they aren't sure about
• Saying 'I don't know' is more useful than guessing
• Pushing AI to guess can give bad info
• Trust the answers more when AI knows its limits

Try it!

Ask AI something tricky like 'what will the weather be in 10 years?' Notice if it admits it doesn't know.

AI and not cheating on your spelling test

The big idea

Using AI on a test isn't learning — it's borrowing.

Some examples

• Tests show what YOUR brain knows
• Practicing with AI before is okay; using it during is not
• Teachers can usually tell when AI helped
• Real learning sticks; AI answers don't

Try it!

Pick one tricky spelling word. Practice it 5 times by yourself today.

Here's why "AI and not cheating on your spelling test" matters: Learning about AI is one of the most important skills you can build for the future! Using AI on a test isn't learning — it's borrowing — and knowing how to apply this gives you a concrete advantage.

• Learn what "honesty" means and why it's important
• Learn what "school" means and why it's important
• Learn what "learning" means and why it's important

1. Find out more about AI and not cheating on your spelling test by asking an AI a question about it
2. Talk to a grown-up about what you learned
3. Write down one new thing you learned today

AI and being honest about AI homework help

The big idea

Telling your teacher AI helped is the brave move.

Some examples

• Most teachers are okay with some AI help
• Hiding it makes it worse if found out
• Add a note: 'AI helped me start this'
• Saying so builds teacher trust

Try it!

Next AI-helped homework, write 'AI helped' at the top before turning it in.

Here's why "AI and being honest about AI homework help" matters: Learning about AI is one of the most important skills you can build for the future! Telling your teacher AI helped is the brave move — and knowing how to apply this gives you a concrete advantage.

• Learn what "honesty" means and why it's important
• Learn what "homework" means and why it's important
• Learn what "teachers" means and why it's important

1. Find out more about AI and being honest about AI homework help by asking an AI a question about it
2. Talk to a grown-up about what you learned
3. Write down one new thing you learned today

Should AI Pretend to Be a Real Person?

The big idea

It is okay for AI to talk in a friendly way, but it should not lie about being human. You deserve to know who — or what — you are talking to.

Some examples

• A homework helper that says 'I am an AI tutor' — honest
• A chatbot that swears it is a real teen named Mia — not honest
• A 'celebrity' chatbot the celebrity did not agree to — not okay
• A game character who is AI but the game tells you so — fine

Try it!

Pick one app you talk to. Is it always clear when you are chatting with AI vs a real person?

Should AI Write Your Apology?

The big idea

An apology is supposed to be your real feelings in your own words. If AI writes it, the other person is hearing AI, not you.

Some examples

• Asking AI 'how can I say sorry to my friend?' for ideas — okay
• Copying an AI apology word-for-word and signing your name — not really yours
• Letting AI fix your spelling on a sorry note — fine, the words are still yours
• Texting an AI-written paragraph to a hurt friend — they will sense it is not you

Try it!

Think of someone you owe a small sorry. Ask AI for ideas, then write three sentences in your own words.

Should You Let AI Pretend to Be You?

The big idea

If AI answers messages as 'you,' the people writing back think they are talking to a real person. That is a small lie that grows.

Some examples

• Letting AI text your friend back so you do not have to — your friend feels tricked later
• AI replying to grandma 'as you' — she is hugging a robot's words
• Posting AI captions as your real thoughts — your friends do not know which is which
• Telling people 'AI helped me write this' is honest and easy

Try it!

Next time AI helps with a caption or text, add a tiny note: 'AI helped.' See how it feels to be open.

Giving Credit When AI Helps

The big idea

Saying 'I made this with AI help' is not embarrassing — it is honest. Pretending AI work is all yours is the part that gets you in trouble.

Some examples

• 'AI helped me brainstorm — I wrote the final version' is honest
• 'AI made this picture — I picked it' is honest
• Putting your name alone on something AI did mostly is not honest
• Teachers and contests usually allow AI help if you say so

Try it!

Pick something you made recently with AI help. Write a one-sentence credit you could add to it.