Kudos to the UAE. I really hope the U.S. gets its positioning right around how to incorporate AI into early (and all!) education. If we don’t teach our children how to responsibly use AI and integrate it into their lives we’re doing them a massive disservice. Take for example, how most of us were never taught how to deal with our finances, instead schools mandates packed our heads with a lot of less useful, rote facts that never really did us much good in the real world. As a result many adults live in debt and have not adequately prepared for retirement.
Here’s the reality: Kids are going to get access to and use AI, regardless of what any school rules are. So would you rather they use it and learn from Roblox and social media apps, or rather schools help teach them best practices and responsible uses?
Putting our heads in the sand (like New York’s latest educational AI policy) is never effective, and only hobbles alignment with a fast-changing world; this approach is lazy and uninspired. Adapting to what’s here and present (like the UAE’s initiative) is a far better approach.
FINAL NOTE: If information and education is focused on private school access, then that’s a whole different problem that needs addressing!
