Haitian-Canadian author Thélyson Orélien seemed headed for one of France’s most important literary prizes with his novel It Was Either That Or Die. Then social media users tested the book with artificial intelligence detection programs, which suggested that A.I. may have helped produce some of the writing. Orélien strongly denied using A.I., and his publisher noted that he began the novel years before generative A.I. became widely available. Several detection programs and researchers found signs they believed pointed to A.I., but experts also warn that these tools can make mistakes and may be less dependable with languages other than English. The Goncourt Academy eventually removed the novel from its prize shortlist, while the controversy sparked a larger debate about what kinds of A.I. assistance, if any, should be acceptable for authors. The dispute shows how difficult it can be to make serious decisions based on technology that may provide evidence without providing absolute proof. Imagine you are part of a school committee deciding whether A.I. detectors should be used when students are suspected of submitting A.I.-generated work. Create a policy with three rules explaining when a detector could be used, what other evidence should be considered, and what opportunity a student should have to respond to an accusation. Afterward, write a brief explanation of how your rules try to protect both academic honesty and students from being wrongly accused.

New polls suggest that several U.S. Senate races in states that usually favor Republicans could be much more competitive than expected. Democratic candidates are close to or ahead of Republicans in Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Ohio, and Texas as voters express concerns about issues such as the economy, health care, tariffs, immigration, and the cost of living. Some voters who supported President Trump in 2024 now disapprove of his job performance, although many Republicans continue to support him overall. The polls also reveal an interesting difference in how voters view political parties and individual candidates: Many respondents think the Democratic Party is too far to the left, but fewer say the same about the particular Democratic candidate running in their state. These results do not predict exactly what will happen on Election Day because polls are estimates rather than guarantees. Still, they provide a snapshot of what voters are thinking and which issues could influence control of the Senate. Become a polling analyst and study the results described in the story. Choose three findings that you think are especially important for understanding the Senate races and rank them from most to least important. For each one, explain what it might tell a campaign about voters. Finish by identifying one conclusion that would be unfair to make from these polls and explain why polling data should be interpreted cautiously.

President Trump and Republican Senator Tom Cotton disagree about whether the United States should stop changing its clocks twice a year. Trump supports a bill that would make daylight saving time permanent, giving people more evening sunlight throughout the year. Cotton opposes the plan because winter sunrises would occur later, meaning some children could travel to school in darkness. Their disagreement became more unusual when Trump posted what officials confirmed was Cotton’s cellphone number online and encouraged Arkansas residents to call him. The debate over daylight saving time is not new: The United States tried year-round daylight saving time in 1974 but ended the experiment after complaints about dark winter mornings. The current dispute involves both the advantages and disadvantages of changing how Americans set their clocks, as well as questions about appropriate ways for political leaders to pressure one another. Create a 24-hour comparison chart showing what one winter school day might look like under permanent daylight saving time versus the current system. Include approximate times for sunrise, traveling to school, school activities, sunset, and an after-school activity. Then identify two groups that might prefer permanent daylight saving time and two groups that might have concerns about it. Use your chart to explain which system you think creates the better balance and why.

The U.S. Supreme Court is considering a Colorado case that could affect climate-related lawsuits around the country. Boulder city and county sued oil companies, arguing that the companies misled the public about their contributions to climate change and should help pay for local damage connected to a warming climate. The issue became especially meaningful after the destructive 2021 Marshall Fire, which caused about $2 billion in damage and destroyed many homes. Boulder argues that it is seeking compensation for local costs rather than trying to control emissions across the country. The oil companies and the Trump administration respond that climate change is a global problem and that individual states should not use lawsuits to regulate an issue normally handled through federal law. The Supreme Court’s decision could therefore influence not only Colorado but also similar cases in other parts of the country. Write a headline and opening paragraph for two different news reports about the Supreme Court climate case. One version should emphasize Boulder’s argument that oil companies should help pay for local climate-related costs. The other should emphasize the companies’ argument that climate change is a global issue that should not be handled through individual state lawsuits. Compare your two versions and explain how choosing which facts to emphasize can influence the way readers understand a complicated court case.

President Trump directed officials to use federal money for television advertisements that praise his presidency, leading to a $20 million government contract funded through the Department of Homeland Security. The White House describes the commercials as public service announcements that promote the country rather than a political candidate, pointing out that Trump is not currently running for office. Critics, including some Democrats and Republicans, question whether the advertisements could violate rules against using taxpayer money for government propaganda. Their concerns have grown because one commercial was identical to a video from Trump’s 2024 campaign, while other ads prominently feature the president. Government-funded public information campaigns are not unusual, but the controversy raises an important question about where informing the public ends and political promotion begins. Develop a checklist that could be used to judge whether a government-funded advertisement is public information or political promotion. Consider questions such as who appears in the ad, what message it sends, whether it asks people to take an action, where its material came from, and who benefits from it. Apply your checklist to the ads described in this story and write a short verdict explaining where you think they fall on the spectrum. Your conclusion should acknowledge at least one reasonable argument from the other side.