Prompt’s Philosophy on AI
When it comes to AI, we shouldn’t be naive about its challenges nor resistant to its potential when used strategically. Just as a student might ask a teacher, trusted friend, or parent for help brainstorming ideas, proofreading, or understanding a tricky concept, AI can be a fantastic collaborator. When we consider how to use AI ethically and effectively, we can ask the straightforward question:
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Would it be appropriate for a student to ask a friend or mentor to do the same task?
If the answer is “no” for a human, then it should also be “no” for AI.
If the answer is “no” for a human, then it should also be “no” for AI.
Prompt’s AI Protocol
It’s important that we continually evolve alongside the challenges and opportunities presented by new technologies like AI. As part of this commitment, Prompt is continually developing strategies to respond more dynamically to AI-generated or AI-polished content in student essays.
Click the arrow for more historical context on Prompt’s previous AI policy and why it was changed.
In prior seasons, Prompt had the policy of pausing all essays that were flagged as AI by CopyLeaks. However, we found this protocol needed to be changed for the following reasons:
- A Rapid Increase in AI Use: During the 2023 season, less than 0.2% of essays in Prompt’s queue were flagged as potentially AI-influenced. In 2024, that number rose to over 4.5%.
- Operational Bottlenecks: Individually addressing every flagged essay made sense as we wrapped our heads around what AI looked like for our students. Counselors and families wanted to know what was happening with their students, and we needed to develop a blueprint for addressing AI issues. However, the process of flagging every potentially AI-influenced draft complicated and slowed our operations, created unpredictable queue expectations for coaches, and significantly delayed feedback turnaround.
- Impact on Student Objectives: Our students began coming to us with a goal to “avoid sounding like AI” rather than to work toward writing their most compelling personal essays.
- Imbalanced Priorities: Allocating so much of our time to AI interventions significantly reduced opportunities for other educational initiatives and resource development. Furthermore, students without AI concerns unfairly received less support than those who required multiple interventions.
Reclaiming Our Role As Educators
Prompt’s official policy is that we are not responsible for identifying AI content, just as we don’t check for plagiarism. Our student contracts formally include this agreement. This mirrors the fact that almost every college application asks students to affirm that they did not plagiarize or use generative AI for their application. As such, it is each student’s responsibility to make ethical choices regarding their use of AI.
Our responsibility is to guide students in crafting their best essays. We will address content issues, whether they are sparked by AI or not, and guide students toward improvement as educators, not the AI police. As educators, we can use our feedback as a chance to show students why AI (or content that sounds like AI) isn’t effective.
We also recognize that our approach to feedback may change when we are dealing with potentially AI-generated content and that counselors and families are interested in AI trends. We’ve offered guidance on identifying AI, adapting our feedback when AI is suspected, and include the option for coaches to flag an essay as potentially AI when submitting their feedback.
If you suspect an essay is AI-influenced, you are not required to use an AI detection service like CopyLeaks to confirm your suspicions. However, many coaches find it helpful! Checking the box that an essay might be AI-generated only indicates your suspicion and is not an accusation. The Ops team will use that information to generate reports for counselors and families to facilitate conversations about AI and identify trends.
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Pages in this section:
Why & How a Student Might Use AIAI Hallmarks & Warning SignsELL, False Positives & Holistic ReviewFeedback on AI-Influenced ContentWhen the “Best Essay” Isn’t IdealAI Successful Uses CasesAI & College Admissions TrendsÂ
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