When Keir said, “AI wasn’t coming; it was already here,” he was not exaggerating.
On Monday and Tuesday morning, I attended two UNESCO webinars focused on AI in education. This morning, I continued the conversation with an AI consultant, exploring in detail the scope of these tools and what they are capable of offering learners.
For all the anxiety that surrounds AI—our fear that it is already too powerful, too intelligent, too similar to us, perhaps even superior to us—the message from these expert voices was strikingly consistent. AI is not a passing trend. It is here to stay. But it is best understood as a tool, not a replacement for human beings.
Antonia Wulf, Director of Research, Policy and Advocacy at Education International, emphasised the indispensable role of teachers and their pedagogical expertise. Decisions about how AI should be used in classrooms must involve those who understand learning most deeply. AI will not replace the teacher. Empathy, collaboration, negotiation, and conflict resolution all rely on human relationships. These are not functions an algorithm can replicate.
Lidija Kralj, education analyst and expert to the European Commission, made a similarly important point: most AI tools were not designed specifically for education but have been adapted for it. As such, they cannot supplant traditional teaching. Accountability remains with the teacher. Assessment, grading, and meaningful feedback are central to the learning process, and these depend on professional judgement. Moreover, we still have much to understand about how AI will shape learning, particularly for SEND students and those from marginalised communities.
These perspectives were echoed—perhaps surprisingly—by a strong advocate for AI, consultant Rufus Curnow, with whom I spoke this morning. He suggested that much of the fear surrounding AI reflects a degree of AI illiteracy. The more we educate ourselves about these tools, the less intimidating they become and the more effectively we can harness their value. That said, any use of AI in education must be carefully reviewed at the outset, monitored during implementation, and evaluated afterwards to ensure it is being used responsibly and well.
AI is not a threat looming on the horizon. It is a present reality. The wiser course is not to resist it reflexively, but to understand it deeply—and to use it thoughtfully.