George Orwell's political fable "Animal Farm" is celebrating its 80th anniversary, and its themes about the manipulation of language are resonating with students learning digital literacy in the age of artificial intelligence. The book, a long-time staple in high school English classes, has inspired a new nationwide competition called "Win the Farm." This initiative was launched this week at Ballina Coast High School in northern New South Wales, coinciding with Media Literacy Week.

In "Animal Farm," farm animals, led by the revolutionary pigs Snowball and Napoleon, overthrow their negligent farmer, Mr. Jones, in pursuit of a utopian society. However, their idealism is ultimately undermined by greed and inequality, encapsulated in the famous line, "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."

The competition is being introduced to schools by Day of AI Australia, a philanthropic organization focused on enhancing young people's understanding of AI. Classroom coordinator Jessica Xu noted that "Animal Farm" provides students with a clear political dichotomy. "It's a good way for us to keep it all relatable, keep it more easy to digest," Xu said. "It's not so much a political statement on what we think of the current state of the world."

The goal of the competition is for students to create social media bots and explore how different settings influence their online impact. For instance, students can program their bots to be humorous or strictly truthful. This exercise is particularly relevant, as Day of AI reports that 17 percent of social media activity during the 2025 Australian Federal election campaign was generated by bots promoting political agendas. Xu emphasized the importance of understanding the role of bots in shaping social media narratives, stating, "How do bots actually impact the social media world? How does it impact what you see in political environments and also non-political environments?"

Year 12 student Chloe-Jo Dodgson expressed the significance of discerning truth in today's digital landscape. "I think it absolutely matters because there is truth that needs to be told and if it's all fake, how do you know the truth?" Year eight student Koby Ross shared his experience with AI, noting his confidence in identifying AI-generated content but also his concerns about its potential misuse. "AI is always going to be around, but we don't want to use it too often because it can lead to problems," he said.

John Livingstone, head of Digital Policy at UNICEF Australia, highlighted that while teens primarily use AI for homework assistance, a quarter of them feel it equates to cheating. "Young people themselves at the moment aren't sure," he said. "They are adopting AI quickly, they are putting it to use in their lives for school work and other means, but there isn't that guidance in place that's giving young people a clear message that this is a safe and responsible way to use AI in your life."

Ballina Coast High Principal Peter Howes emphasized the need for educators to embrace teaching about AI. "It is a change, but when hasn't there been a change in education?" he asked. He stressed the importance of empowering students to use AI as a tool rather than allowing it to control them. "One thing that AI will never do is build the capacity to be really, truly great humans — things like empathy, grit, collaboration, kindness," Howes added.

As students engage with both "Animal Farm" and the "Win the Farm" competition, they are encouraged to think critically about the implications of AI and the power of language in shaping their understanding of reality.