As another academic year kicks off in the U.S., schools are once again grappling with a pressing issue: how to handle the growing presence of AI in education.

With AI becoming increasingly ubiquitous in students’ lives, the challenge for educators is not just about managing its use—it’s about preparing students for a future where AI is an integral part of their personal and professional lives.

Are schools ready for AI?

I got the answer from Marketing AI Institute founder and CEO Paul Roetzer on Episode 111 of The Artificial Intelligence Show.

The Reality for Today’s Students

“Students today in middle school, high school, and college will never know a professional world in which AI isn’t infused into everything they do, regardless of the career path they choose,” Roetzer wrote on LinkedIn and reiterated during our conversation.

But some schools still struggle with key challenges as they figure out how to navigate AI’s impact on the classroom, he says, including:

1. Lack of Comprehensive Policies: Many schools are still operating with vague or non-existent AI policies.
2. Teacher Preparedness: Educators often lack the knowledge and training to effectively integrate AI into their classrooms.
3. Balancing Innovation and Academic Integrity: Schools must find ways to embrace AI’s potential while maintaining academic standards.

A Parent’s Perspective: Proactive AI Integration

Roetzer, a parent of two middle school children, advocates for a proactive approach to AI education that includes the following steps:

1. Selective Integration: Mindfully and intentionally introduce AI tools to enhance learning and creativity.
2. Critical Thinking: Teach children to evaluate and verify information sources when using AI.
3. Responsible Use: Emphasize that AI tools should complement, not replace, imagination and original thinking.

“As parents,” Roetzer argues, “we have an obligation to prepare our kids for the future, whether their schools are ready to do it or not.”

The Risk of Prohibition

Roetzer warns against schools taking a prohibitive stance on AI use, including dangers like:

• Banning AI tools may lead students to use them secretly
• Prohibition doesn’t prepare students for the AI-integrated future they’ll face
• A more effective approach is teaching responsible and ethical AI use

The Call for AI Literacy

The most pressing need, according to Roetzer, is widespread AI literacy—especially for educators.

Teachers need comprehensive AI education to make informed decisions about classroom use and schools should be prioritizing AI literacy programs for their staff.

Broader initiatives at the societal level are likely needed too, he says, including government involvement to increase funding for AI education programs and tech industry support for AI literacy initiatives in schools.

“This is a real issue that’s going to affect everyone in society,” Roetzer emphasizes. The time for action is now.