Building Systems, Not Just Apps: Rethinking AI’s Role in Education

Lately, I’ve been reflecting on where we stand with AI in education. It feels like we’re at a critical juncture—AI is accelerating nearly every facet of life, and education is no exception. But as much as AI holds transformative potential, I can’t shake the feeling that we might be approaching this the wrong way.

Right now, much of the focus in schools revolves around integrating AI apps into existing structures. Tools that create assignments faster, differentiate learning, or automate grading are being celebrated as breakthroughs. While they may make the job easier, I question whether they address the deeper issue: Are we centering humans in this process, or just streamlining tasks?

The Engine and the Pistons

A metaphor I keep coming back to is this: Introducing AI into outdated educational systems is like installing new pistons in an old engine. Sure, the pistons might boost performance temporarily, but if the driveshaft is worn down or the framework is cracked, the whole system still risks breaking down.

In education, we often focus on improving individual components—grading, assessments, lesson planning—without rethinking the underlying systems. But true transformation isn’t about faster or more efficient processes. It’s about designing systems that center people—learners, teachers, and communities—at the heart of the change.

Shifting the Focus

There’s a subtle but significant difference between using AI to automate tasks and using it to amplify human connection and creativity. Right now, much of AI’s role in education is about optimizing work. It’s producing more assignments, grading faster, and differentiating lessons automatically. But are we missing the point?

Transformation that lasts—the kind that reshapes education for the better—requires us to ask tougher questions:

• How does AI help students build deeper connections with their teachers and peers?

• Can we design AI tools that amplify curiosity and creativity, not just efficiency?

• What does it look like to center human well-being in the adoption of AI tools in classrooms?

If we don’t start asking these questions, we risk creating faster but fundamentally unchanged versions of the education systems we already have.

What’s Next?

I believe the next phase of AI adoption in education needs to move beyond surface-level integrations. It’s time to focus on designing educational models where AI doesn’t just optimize tasks but transforms how we think about learning itself.

This moment offers an opportunity to rebuild—if we choose to center people over process. Let’s focus less on what AI can do for the work, and more on what it can do for the humans at the heart of education.