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Sindh education minister warns AI poses risks if children lose connection to real-life experiences
Sindh Education Minister Sardar Ali Shah warned that AI cannot replace human consciousness or empathy, speaking at the 6th National Education Summit in Karachi. He urged schools to prioritize creativity and critical thinking over screen dependence.
AI Cannot Replace Human Intelligence, Education Minister Warns
Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah cautioned that artificial intelligence poses serious challenges if not carefully managed, during the closing session of the 6th National Education Summit 2026 at the Institute of Business Administration Karachi on April 26.
Shah said technology is already influencing how students think, create, and solve problems. He described the situation as if "AI has launched an attack and we now need to think about defense."
The Risk of Disconnection
Children detached from nature and real-life experiences risk having their thinking dominated by artificial intelligence, Shah warned. He distinguished between students identifying images on screens and actually experiencing the physical world.
The minister pointed to a broader principle: nations with limited technological strength have remained resilient through strong identity, values, and cultural connection. He cited Iran's long-term investment in STEM education as an example.
What AI Cannot Do
Emotional intelligence, observation, and human interaction must remain central to education, Shah said. Artificial intelligence cannot replace human consciousness, empathy, or lived experience.
Future success depends on creativity, critical thinking, and practical understanding-not screen time. Excessive reliance on devices weakens children's creative abilities, he added.
What Schools Should Do
Education must align with local realities, cultural values, and environmental context, Shah said. Schools should encourage curiosity, questioning, and research-based learning.
Teachers' roles are becoming more critical in the AI era, not less. The summit's panel discussions on "Reclaiming Human Agency in Education" and "Redefining Learning for Generation Alpha" emphasized human-centered education models over traditional rote systems.
For educators looking to understand how to implement these principles, resources on AI for Education and the AI Learning Path for Teachers offer practical guidance on balancing technology with human-centered instruction.