A country that teaches AI from kindergarten has just said the human part of school cannot…
A country that teaches AI from kindergarten has just said the human part of school cannot be replaced.
The UAE's Education Minister, Sarah Al Amiri, told the Education First Forum in Abu Dhabi: "Technology and artificial intelligence are tools we employ consciously, ensuring they do not come at the expense of independent thought or human interaction." Good timing, straight after World Teachers' Day.
This is not a country that is wary of AI. From this school year, "Artificial Intelligence and Technology" is a subject from kindergarten to Grade 12 in state schools and in private schools on the national curriculum. Back in 2023 the ministry said it was developing GPT-powered AI tutors with its partners.
A side note: you may have seen "the UAE will have AI teachers by 2027". I checked. It traces back to a 2018 prediction by a Dubai education official, who said "in the next 10 years". It is not a government plan.
The minister listed five things a teacher does: turns the curriculum into a learning experience, discovers students' talents, builds their confidence, instils values, and teaches them how to think, learn and relearn.
Back in 2023 the ministry said it was developing GPT-powered AI tutors with its partners.
As a dad, I went through them one by one. AI already helps with the first: at nine at night it explains a maths problem with more patience than I have. But spotting a talent and building confidence take a person who watches you over years and remembers where you fell last term and how you got back up. And values are not really taught at all. Children pick them up by watching what the adults around them do.
So my view is this: AI can help a teacher explain, but being noticed by someone is still something no machine does. That is my judgement, not a research finding.
Of everything a teacher does, which part do you think AI can never replace? Tell me what you think in the comments 👇
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