When machines can do the work, what’s the purpose of school?

Imagine trying to master reading—a skill critical to lock in before age 10—while your school was closed during a health crisis. Add the pull of addictive technology, eroding focus and mental health.

Now, artificial intelligence is changing how we work and learn, creating opportunities but also causing young people to doubt whether school is preparing them for the future.

This is the world today’s students are navigating. How can we ensure our schools harness AI thoughtfully while prioritizing what’s best for young people?

The answer starts with recognizing that our most powerful educational tool isn’t technology. Rather, it’s the one thing machines can never replicate: human curiosity. When educators nurture the impulse to explore, question, and connect, students rediscover school as it ought to be: the ultimate expression of their humanity.

To get there, we must build on the traditional “three Rs” (reading, writing, and arithmetic) and embrace a vision of education anchored in rigor, relevance, and relationships.

Rigor: Beyond the basics

With the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress exam showing that two-thirds of fourth and eighth graders lack reading and math proficiency, we must restore literacy and numeracy as the foundation of higher-order thinking.

Rigor must be for all students, not just those in gifted programs or affluent districts. When AI can draft essays, solve equations and synthesize information in seconds, only a solid grounding in reading, writing and mathematics ensures students are equipped and inspired to do that work for themselves.

The solution lies in high standards and research-based practices like science-of-reading-aligned instruction and math that foster conceptual and procedural fluency. Schools should also embrace accountability, with regular data checks so every teacher knows exactly where students stand and what they need.

AI can help by giving students immediate, constructive feedback and reducing administrative burdens so teachers can focus on developing students into independent thinkers and doers. In this context, AI ceases to be a shortcut and instead becomes a tool to deepen learning and spark creativity.

Besides, what good is AI if you can’t write the prompt, read the response or check its accuracy?

Read the full op-ed here.