Editorial: AI is an asset, but school must adapt

The useful part

Like the calculator, computer and internet before it, artificial intelligence (AI) is quickly being embraced by students and teachers alike, many of whom turn to silicon-brained chatbots for all the mundane and repetitive tasks few are keen on performing. Just as those now-ubiquitous pieces of technology were initially opposed out of fears that classroom use would weaken students' fundamentals, AI is being pilloried for its potential to upset learning workflows and undermine scholastic achievement. That dismal scenario is by no means an inevitability, but schools must do all they can to ensure student success through safeguards and a clear-eyed approach that places AI firmly in the role of supplemental resource rather than replacement for critical thinking.

How it works

• Just as those now-ubiquitous pieces of technology were initially opposed out of fears that classroom use would weaken students' fundamentals, AI is being pilloried for its potential to upset learning...

Details worth keeping

Like the calculator, computer and internet before it, artificial intelligence (AI) is quickly being embraced by students and teachers alike, many of whom turn to silicon-brained chatbots for all the mundane and repetitive tasks few are keen on performing. That dismal scenario is by no means an inevitability, but schools must do all they can to ensure student success through safeguards and a clear-eyed approach that places AI firmly in the role of supplemental resource rather than replacement for critical thinking.