Artificial intelligence continues to be the highlight of many conversations, not just on The Daily Hour, but throughout our community.
Some people fear it. Some remain concerned about where it’s taking us. And others are doing their best to understand it and embrace it responsibly.
For all the conversations about AI replacing jobs, its environmental impact and the other potential dangers that come with this technology, we can’t overlook the impact it’s already having on education and our students. That’s why I commend Somersfield Academy for getting ahead of the conversation by developing an AI policy. My hope is that Government is doing the same for Bermuda’s public schools.
The reality is that AI isn’t going away. Students already have access to tools capable of writing essays, answering questions, explaining difficult concepts, solving problems and assisting with research. So telling students not to use AI probably isn’t a realistic long-term strategy. But allowing them to use it without boundaries isn’t the answer either.
The challenge is figuring out how we teach students to use these tools without allowing the tools to do the thinking for them. If a student asks AI to write an entire assignment and submits it as their own work, what have they actually learned? But if that same student uses AI to better understand a difficult concept, challenge their thinking or improve something they’ve already created, could that actually enhance their education? Those are the conversations schools need to be having.
We’ve spoken before about whether our education system is preparing students for jobs and industries that may not even exist yet. AI is another reminder of why such discussions matters. The students sitting in classrooms today are going to enter a workplace where knowing how to use artificial intelligence may eventually be as normal as knowing how to use a computer, search the internet or send an email. So our responsibility shouldn’t simply be protecting students from AI. It should also be preparing them for a world where AI exists.
That means teaching them how to use it responsibly, how to question the information it provides, how to recognize when it’s wrong, how to protect their privacy and, most importantly, how to continue thinking for themselves. Technology should enhance education, not replace learning.
Somersfield developing an AI policy is an important step. Now I’d like to know what’s happening throughout Bermuda’s public education system and our other schools. Are we developing consistent guidelines? Are teachers being trained? Are students being taught responsible use? And are parents being included in the discussions?
We can fear where artificial intelligence might take us, or we can start preparing our young people to navigate it responsibly. I’d rather prepare them.
