Smart AI Skills for Students Learning to Think With AI, Not Just Use It Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming part of how students research, write, study, and solve problems. Yet most students are navigating these tools with very little guidance on how to use them thoughtfully, responsibly, and effectively. AI Advantage is a hands-on course designed to help students develop the skills needed to use AI as a tool for learning and critical thinking, not as a shortcut. Through guided activities and real-world examples, students will learn how to ask better questions, evaluate AI responses for accuracy, and use AI to support schoolwork, organization, and problem-solving. Students will also explore how AI can support real-life skills such as financial literacy, career exploration, and decision-making, while developing an understanding of when AI should be used, and when their own thinking must take the lead. The course is taught by an educator with over 30 years of experience working with students, including current experience in both public K–12 education and the college classroom. Having taught throughout the rapid shift to digital learning during and after the pandemic, the instructor brings firsthand insight into how technology is shaping the way students learn today—and how they can learn to use it well. By the end of the course, each student will create their own Personal AI Playbook—a collection of prompts, strategies, and guidelines they can continue using throughout high school and beyond. This course empowers students to approach AI with confidence, curiosity, and responsibility, giving them a meaningful advantage in a rapidly changing world.