While Adults Debate AI, Students Are Already Learning It
- Jun 6
- 3 min read
What If Our Kids Are Already Ahead of Us?
A few weeks ago, I attended a high school panel on AI here at Green School in Bali.
As both a parent and someone who has been fascinated by technology for years, I was curious. I wanted to hear directly from students. How are they using AI? What excites them? What concerns them? What do they wish schools were teaching?
What I didn’t expect was how much the conversation would make me reflect on my own relationship with change.
The students were thoughtful, articulate, and surprisingly nuanced in their perspectives. Several of them were already teaching themselves AI. They weren’t waiting for a curriculum to catch up. They weren’t waiting for permission. They were experimenting, sharing what they learned with one another, and actively preparing for a future they know will look very different from the present.
That observation stayed with me.
Many of these young people understand something that adults often forget: the future doesn’t wait for us to feel ready.
Meanwhile, many adults are still deciding whether they even want to engage with the conversation. Some are excited. Some are overwhelmed. Some are skeptical. Some are worried. And honestly, I understand all of it.
The pace of change can feel dizzying.
One of the themes that emerged during the panel was how differently schools and teachers are approaching AI. Some educators are embracing it. Others are trying to figure out where it fits. Some are concerned about students using it to shortcut learning or complete assignments without doing the deeper work.
These are valid concerns.
But what fascinated me wasn’t whether AI is good or bad.
It was watching an entire generation trying to understand a future that is arriving faster than most of us expected.
As I sat there listening, I found myself thinking less about technology and more about humanity.
What happens to creativity?
What happens to critical thinking?
What happens to relationships, purpose, and meaning?
How do we use these tools in ways that amplify our gifts rather than diminish them?
These are the questions that interest me most.
I often tell people that my interest in AI comes from three places.
The first is curiosity. I’ve always loved learning new things and exploring new tools. Whether it was transcription software years ago, podcast editing tools, Canva, or ChatGPT, I’ve generally been an early adopter. I enjoy experimenting and figuring out how technology can support our work and our lives.
The second is what I call the human question. Technology is never just about technology. Every major innovation changes how we think, create, communicate, and connect. The more AI advances, the more important it becomes to understand what makes us uniquely human.
And the third is our children.
Today’s students will enter a world that looks dramatically different from the one many of us entered. I have a daughter who will graduate from high school in just a few years, and I genuinely wonder what skills will matter most. What should schools be teaching? What abilities will remain uniquely valuable? How do we prepare young people for a future none of us can fully predict?
I don’t pretend to have the answers.
In fact, one of the biggest takeaways from the panel was that we’re all learning together.
Parents.
Students.
Teachers.
Employers.
Entrepreneurs.
None of us have a roadmap.
Perhaps this is one of those rare moments in history where generations can learn side by side instead of one teaching the other.
And maybe that’s the opportunity.
Not to fear the future.
Not to blindly embrace every new tool.
But to approach it with curiosity, discernment, and thoughtful conversation.
The question isn’t whether AI will change the world.
It already is.
The question is how we want to show up as humans while it’s happening.
What about you? When you think about AI, do you feel excited, intimidated, curious, or something else entirely?
I’d love to hear your thoughts.
With love and courage,
Tania
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