Teachers as Principled AI Navigators
It seems that everywhere I turn, I hear about AI, and in the education world, the topic is polarizing. Some educators are all in, while others view it as the end of the world as we know it.
As we head into a new school year, I find myself wondering: how do we move through this polarization? Unreservedly accepting or rejecting AI is not the answer. As educators, we constantly encourage our students to question and challenge new ideas, so why are so many of us unwilling to practice what we preach when it comes to this topic?
In her 2025 commencement speech at Amherst College, Alondra Nelson brilliantly challenged the instinct to blindly accept or fully reject AI when she said, “AI is not going away. These tools will continue to evolve and integrate into our personal and professional lives. Those who will thrive in this environment will be neither uncritical adopters nor reflexive resistors, but principled navigators – people who understand both the capabilities and limitations of AI systems and can use them as tools for human purposes without being used by them.”
Ms. Nelson spoke to 21-year-olds at the beginning of their professional lives—but what does it look like to be a principled navigator in the classroom as a seasoned educator?
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t afraid of AI. I’ve lost sleep worrying that my children won’t have futures filled with meaningful work and fulfilling relationships. I worry about the environmental impact. I fear the bias and misinformation AI can amplify, and I worry that it will disproportionately harm the most vulnerable in our communities. But in my calmest moments—and the more I reflect—I remind myself: we, humans, are still in control. We haven’t hit the singularity yet, have we?
I recently read an article from MIT about the environmental impact of generative AI. This impact is impossible to ignore, and we can’t bury our heads in the sand. But is there still something we can do both individually and collectively, or is it really doomsday?
Elsa A. Olivetti, an MIT researcher who has written extensively on the subject, is quoted in the article as saying, “We need a more contextual way of systematically and comprehensively understanding the implications of new developments in this space. Due to the speed at which there have been improvements, we haven’t had a chance to catch up with our abilities to measure and understand the tradeoffs.” While this isn’t a turnkey strategy, it gave me pause, as I took a bit of comfort in her words.
My deep dive into AI and education this summer taught me many things, but my biggest takeaway is this: whether we choose to embrace AI in our practice or not, we must learn about it before we take a position—especially if that position is full-on rejection. Isn’t the first line of defense understanding your opponent and capitalizing on their weaknesses? At least, that’s what I learned from the sports movies I watched on repeat as a kid.
Next, we need to revisit and refine our non-negotiables for students. What is the goal of education today? What do we value? What is our mission? And how can we leverage human advantages and shared values to maximize human potential?
This brings me back to Olivetti’s assertion that we “haven’t had a chance to catch up with our abilities to measure and understand the tradeoffs.” There’s hope in that line, and, frankly, I see it as a call to action. What if we all took a deep breath and committed to thinking critically about what’s happening, not just about the environment, but about all of the issues surrounding AI? Blindly accepting or fervently rejecting AI are not our only two options.
I refuse to believe AI will steal all our jobs as educators. If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that students need connection above all else. That said, they also need to understand how to navigate and use AI, because if we demonize or ignore it, we may do more harm than good.
As we begin this new school year, we need to remember that we still have agency and control. When we gather in faculty meetings to talk about AI, let’s start with our values. Let’s ask ourselves: What kind of world do we want to create for our students? What values and human advantages are non-negotiable? We need to learn about AI so we can build that world—and as we build, we must question everything and ensure our decisions, collective and personal, align with our values and our mission. Let’s stop acting like there are only two options and start building our own third option.
To ensure I practice what I preach, I plan to hang the following quote from Alondra Nelson above my desk and treat it as a mandate, not just for the bright-eyed graduates she addressed, but for all of us navigating today’s world:
“Remember that you are in the driver’s seat. You do not have to be passive recipients of AI tools but can be active shapers of how they are integrated into your organizations, communities, and lives. Advocate for responsible AI practices, for meaningful human oversight, for ethical guidelines that prioritize human well-being over narrow efficiency metrics.”
As educators, we must become principled navigators in this work, and in this moment, I remain hopeful that by leading with intention, we can help shape a future that reflects our deepest values.