AI Can Simulate a Teacher, But It Can’t Shepherd a Soul
Education across America is shifting faster than most expected just ten years ago. Artificial intelligence is now being used to train machines that teach children. Meanwhile, many schools are integrating gender ideology and political agendas into their curricula, often sidelining parental input. Traditional values are being pushed aside, leaving students caught in the middle.
This moment calls for urgent reflection. What is the true purpose of education? Is it simply to transfer information, or is it something deeper? Education should shape character, teach discernment, and prepare students to serve their communities with integrity. These are human tasks that cannot be automated.
The recent launch of an AI-powered "teacher training academy" by Microsoft, OpenAI, and Anthropic might seem like progress. But we must ask: Can machines instill wisdom, virtue, or purpose? No matter how advanced, AI lacks the ability to mentor or love a student. Education requires relationships and human connection.
At many institutions, including Christian colleges and universities, there is openness to using AI ethically to support learning and increase access. However, a clear line is drawn: AI can assist educators but cannot replace them. Every student is unique and deserves guidance that only people can provide.
The deeper risk is philosophical. Delegating teaching to algorithms means giving tech companies control over what students learn and which values they absorb. AI already reflects biases, and this can influence education in ways that concern parents and educators alike.
Are we ready to allow private tech companies—driven by profit and their own worldviews—to shape the minds and beliefs of future generations? Education should be a moral, human-centered endeavor. Teachers must be valued and empowered, ensuring classrooms are places for transformation, not just job preparation.
Christian colleges and universities have a role to play. They can protect the relational core of education, model uncompromising truth-seeking, and remind society that soul formation can’t be outsourced to machines.
Technology should be a tool, not a master. The future of education depends on honoring the dignity of every student and the responsibility to guide them with wisdom and courage.
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