Opinion: Should AI Shape Our Children's Education?

The Role of AI in Education

As Utah's technology sector continues to expand, it becomes increasingly important for the K-12 public school system to develop a clear vision for how artificial intelligence (AI) will be integrated into or excluded from students' education. While there are many possibilities for AI's role in the classroom, it is essential to consider whether these advancements truly serve the best interests of students.

AI and the Human Element in Learning

The core of learning and growth lies in the ability to tackle difficult tasks—whether it's understanding a complex math concept, pushing physical limits in sports, interpreting challenging literature, or expressing ideas clearly in writing. These experiences require dedication, perseverance, and support from caring individuals who believe in the student's potential.

Software, from slot machines to social media, is designed to encourage easy actions that can lead to addiction. However, what motivates humans to engage in the hard work necessary for growth? It is the presence of responsible agents who care about them, have high expectations, and possess moral authority. Robots lack these qualities entirely.

Most students quickly lose interest in chatbots, and robots will never earn their respect. Therefore, Utah should recognize this reality and view AI not as a direct tool for improving education but as an opportunity to achieve three key goals that will indirectly benefit students.

How AI Can Help Education

1. Supporting Teachers

AI has the potential to significantly ease the workload of teachers. Beyond assisting with administrative tasks, lesson planning, and data analysis, AI can enable teachers to assign more paper-based work. Research shows that screen-based learning is often less effective than handwritten work, which engages more parts of the brain through the physical act of writing.

With AI capable of evaluating paper-based assignments—always under human supervision—teachers no longer need to choose between the convenience of digital grading and the benefits of traditional handwriting. This shift can lead to deeper learning outcomes for students.

2. Investing in Education Through Economic Gains

AI’s broader economic impact could provide new resources for education. By increasing productivity and potentially causing job losses in certain industries, AI may lead to higher tax revenues and a larger workforce. The challenge is determining how to use this "excess" capacity and funding effectively.

Education is one area where these resources are desperately needed. Many people outside the education sector fail to recognize how stretched faculty and staff are. Despite recent budget increases, Utah's schools remain understaffed compared to other states and top-performing nations.

In countries like South Korea and Finland, teachers spend less time directly teaching students and more time on evaluation, planning, collaboration, and professional development. To reach similar levels of effectiveness, Utah needs to hire more people to work in its schools. Education is meaningful work that many would enjoy participating in if given the opportunity.

3. Teaching Students to Become AI Engineers

While some basic knowledge of chatbots and prompting techniques is useful, the primary goal should be to teach students how to become AI engineers. At Monticello Academy, a charter network I lead, we are using a K-12 Computer Science for Utah Special Projects Grant to do just that.

By starting with small projects and utilizing Application Program Interfaces (APIs), students are learning to create and use AI systems to solve real-world problems. This approach goes beyond simple tasks like generating captions for selfies and instead focuses on developing the skills needed to address complex challenges.

The Future of AI in Education

The most flashy applications of AI in education—such as chatbot tutors, screen-based learning platforms, and AI teachers—are likely to be ineffective in the long run. Instead, the future belongs to those who can harness AI's potential to solve complex human problems.

This involves integrating AI into multifaceted software and computational systems. Rather than using AI as a passive consumer product, students should learn to build and use it to drive meaningful change.

Utah has the opportunity to lead by adopting a human-centered approach to AI in education. By focusing on supporting teachers, investing in education, and preparing students to become AI engineers, the state can ensure that AI serves as a tool for human flourishing rather than a replacement for it.