AI Bans Won’t Save Us. AI Literacy Will
Too many schools are trying to ban AI instead of teaching it. What they really should be doing is building AI literacy: helping students learn to use it thoughtfully, critically, and creatively.
1 min read
We're at that awkward moment where saying "no AI allowed" sounds just like "no calculators allowed" did a generation ago.
Except this time, the pace of change is about 100x faster.
I’ve written about this before: the real skill isn’t in avoiding AI. It’s in knowing when you’re using it as a crutch vs. when you’re leveraging it as a catapult.
Having AI write your essay for you is very different from using it to find counterarguments that strengthen your thesis. Copy-pasting an AI-generated math solution isn’t the same as using AI to explain the concept in different ways until it finally clicks.
Yet instead of teaching that difference, many schools are doubling down on AI detectors that don’t even work reliably. We're creating students who are better at hiding their AI use instead of learning how to use it responsibly. Meanwhile, job postings everywhere expect “AI proficiency” as a fundamental skill.
This disconnect is why I’m tinkering with a small project around responsible AI use in education. Something to help students and educators strike that balance between learning with AI and thinking beyond it. If “vibe coding” doesn’t drive me up the wall and this actually sees the light of day, I’ll share more soon.
At the end of the day, how we teach and embrace AI will determine whether it empowers or limits the next generation. It’s time to focus on cultivating AI literacy. The ability to use it thoughtfully, critically, and creatively.
