Learning Objectives
- Define: Understand what a “secret cyborg” is and think about when and why people keep their AI use hidden
- Surface: Brainstorm and share moments when you or others have felt pressure to hide AI use
- Notice: Identify patterns across experiences and what they reveal about hidden pressures
Context
When we use AI and keep it a secret, we act as what Ethan Mollick calls a “secret cyborg.” We might be worried others will judge us. We might not have someone we trust to talk to. Or we simply don’t have the time or energy. We may feel like our task lacks meaning, so we just want to get it done. Some people use AI because they feel like it’s the only way to keep up with others, or to meet expectations. Keeping secrets can cause feelings of shame and isolation. When we make these experiences visible, we often discover we’re not alone — and we create space to reflect on how AI fits into our lives.
Surfacing when and why people hide AI use provides a natural opportunity for reflection on what pushes us out of alignment with our values—whether that’s the pressure to hide use, the pressure to use AI when we’d rather not, or other forces that make choosing with integrity harder.
When to Use This Practice
This practice works well as a foundation for other AI conversations. It helps students connect over shared experiences and invites them to identify and name pressures that teachers may not have known they were feeling. Understanding these pressures together creates space to address them, so students can navigate AI use with more intention and integrity. This practice can be particularly valuable to do before Map a Moment to seed a generative AI experience. It also pairs with Align on the Line to surface gray area uses of AI.
Instructions
- Introduce the term. “Secret cyborg” moments happen when someone uses AI but keeps that use hidden. They’re acting as machine-augmented humans, but because they want to keep their AI use hidden, it’s a secret. Whether it was for academic work, emotional support, social guidance, or personal validation — the key is they used AI and don’t want others to know.
- Generate reasons privately. Display the prompt: “When or why do people feel pressure to keep AI use a secret? (You can think of your own experiences or stories you know from friends or relatives.)” Students write their answers on slips of paper, stickies, or a printed handout. Encourage thinking about different contexts: specific classes, types of assignments, social dynamics, or family expectations.
- Post and vote. Invite students to post their answers on a shared wall. Invite them to add dot stickers to those pressures that resonate most with them.
- See, think, wonder. Invite students to share: What patterns do we notice? What do we think about what they mean – and what they suggest about why secrecy happens? What do we wonder about these pressures?
Variations
- Anonymous Version: Use a digital tool (e.g., Padlet, Miro, Mentimeter) where students can submit pressures without names attached. Instead of stickers, students can add digital “+1s” or hearts to pressures that resonate with them. This helps everyone see shared experiences without anyone having to claim specific pressures as their own.
- “Secret Human” Version: The “secret cyborg” activity explores when students choose to use AI but feel pressure to keep that use hidden. You can also try a variation that shifts the question: when do students feel pressure to use AI even though they’d prefer not to? Ask: “What creates pressure to use AI even when you’d rather not?” Students share times they felt pushed to use AI against their preference — to keep up with peers, meet impossible deadlines, or because “everyone else is doing it.” This variation surfaces how AI can feel less like a choice and more like a requirement, revealing systemic pressures that push students away from their own learning preferences.
Tips
Consider using the Making AI Pressures Visible practice when you’re setting norms, culture, and core routines for your class. It can build rapport and surface issues that inform how you approach other activities like Map a Moment or Align on the Line. Remember that disclosing AI use can be more vulnerable for some students — not because their use is illegitimate, but because sharing why they used AI might reveal personal information they want to keep private (e.g., learning differences, language background, access to technology). Keep the focus on understanding patterns and pressures, not on catching rule-breakers or venting about cheating in other classes. The goal is to reduce isolation and shame to pave the way to more understanding, reflection, and integrity around AI use. Creating an environment where students end up feeling more shame is counterproductive. If sensitive pressures emerge (mental health, family situations), acknowledge them without dwelling, then follow up individually as needed.
Access the original assignment here. This resource was created by the Center for Digital Thriving at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. It was made possible through the support of Grant 63220 from the John Templeton Foundation.
