AI Is Coming to the Classroom — But What About Writing?

Artificial intelligence (AI) has dominated education headlines this year. Districts are debating how to handle ChatGPT in the classroom, colleges are reconsidering essay assignments, and parents wonder if their kids will learn to write in an AI-driven world. The concern is real: if students can have a machine generate their essays, what will motivate them to practice their own writing?

The Role of Writing in an AI World

Even with AI, the ability to write remains a fundamental skill. A 2023 RAND report emphasized that writing is tied not just to communication, but to critical thinking, creativity, and even empathy. These are skills no AI can substitute for. The challenge is finding ways to make writing engaging enough that children want to practice it, rather than outsourcing the effort.

How WriteStories Fits In

WriteStories provides a practical solution by returning writing to its creative roots. Instead of writing on command or filling in worksheets, children build their own stories inspired by illustrated picture books with the text removed. Page by page, they decide what’s happening and put it into words.

Because the platform is interactive and playful, it feels different from the kind of writing that AI tools threaten to replace. Children aren’t producing formulaic essays—they’re imagining, experimenting, and creating something that reflects their own voice.

Practical Tip for Parents and Teachers

If you’re worried about your child leaning too heavily on AI, introduce more “imaginative writing” projects. Give them a set of wordless illustrations or a comic strip and ask them to invent the dialogue or storyline. This is exactly what WriteStories does digitally, and it’s a strategy you can also try offline with books you already own.

Why This Matters for the Future

As schools navigate AI, tools like WriteStories ensure children don’t lose touch with the joy of writing. Instead of competing with AI, Scriptive is giving kids a reason to choose writing for themselves. That’s the kind of foundation that prepares them for whatever the future brings.