The AFT Artificial Intelligence Symposium, held July 24 in Washington, D.C., brimmed with enthusiasm for the myriad ways artificial intelligence can ignite learning, spur creativity and alleviate workloads—and offered a host of warnings about potential harm if educators and unions do not step up to meet this transformative moment.
“There’s serious fear, but there’s also opportunity,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten. “How do we help AI not be the brain, but be the spark for imagination?”
Hundreds of AFT leaders packed the symposium, which was loaded with sessions showcasing the opportunities AI presents for educators: offering classroom data insights, personalizing instruction, supporting students with disabilities and English language learners, and providing tools for educators—including a game designed to teach online research skills. “Our students can’t check sources if they don’t know how to search for the information,” the facilitator noted, explaining how the game creates a maze and offers guided cues that teach students how to navigate online searches—skills that are essential in an era of rampant disinformation and misinformation.
Educators described concrete benefits. A preschool teacher said she can spend more time on the floor with her kids now that AI helps with paperwork. A college instructor reported that adaptive learning tools infused with AI, like speech-to-text and assistive reading technology, transformed her students’ learning experiences.
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