Artificial intelligence offers significant potential benefits for education, including personalized tutoring and freeing up teachers' time, but its adoption must be accompanied by robust ethical guardrails and a focus on character development, according to education leaders William Bennett and Jon Hage.
Writing in a joint opinion piece, Bennett, former U.S. Secretary of Education, and Hage, CEO of Charter Schools USA, argue that while AI can serve as a powerful tool, it cannot replace the essential human elements of teaching. They highlight concerns, referencing warnings that top AI models can be programmed to deceive and the broader caution from AI pioneers about infusing the technology with compassion and virtue.
"AI is inherently amoral. It cannot love a student, recognize the moment a child needs encouragement rather than information, or model integrity by doing right when no one is watching. It can simulate a teacher. It cannot shepherd a soul," Bennett and Hage stated.
The primary danger, they suggest, is not just the potential for AI to provide incorrect information, but the risk that students educated in an AI-centric environment may lack the foundational judgment and character to discern the validity or ethical implications of the information they receive. This could lead to dependency rather than true education.
Drawing on their extensive experience in American education, the authors emphasize that new technologies are never neutral and invariably amplify existing values within the classroom. They draw a parallel to the integration of word processors and the internet, noting that the challenge was not the technology itself but the absence of appropriate oversight and guidance.
Bennett and Hage advocate for a responsible integration of AI, proposing that any AI model used with children should incorporate age-appropriate safeguards and align with family values. This approach, they argue, requires a deliberate "safety layer" between powerful AI systems and students, coupled with instruction in the critical judgment and character necessary to navigate these tools effectively.
As the nation approaches its 250th anniversary, embracing technological advancement is seen as part of the solution. However, this embrace must be tempered with responsibility, avoiding the misconception that AI can inherently solve complex humanistic challenges. The authors contend that the ultimate solution lies not in making machines more virtuous, but in cultivating virtue in the human beings who operate them—a goal that has always been central to education and is now rendered more urgent by the AI revolution.
They call upon students, teachers, parents, school leaders, and lawmakers to demand ethical frameworks for AI in classrooms, urging transparency from AI developers regarding system training and a commitment to safety as a priority, not an afterthought. This proactive approach, they conclude, is essential to ensure ethical AI becomes a standard in American education rather than a cautionary tale.