Artificial Intelligence Is Around the Corner. Educators Should Take Note

One winter morning, a 5th grader will be awakened earlier than usual by Maestra, a commercially available virtual mentor that curates her comprehensive educational environment. Having monitored the child's cognitive and emotional development since shortly after her conception, the artificial-intelligence program will accurately anticipate that the morning's snowfall will add 10 minutes to the child's typical walk to school. During their morning dialogue over breakfast and the walk, the AI will reference The Snowy Day, a favorite storybook of the child's, having determined the intervention will induce an optimal psychological state for the school day's lessons. A district supervisor's predawn jog will have just ended when her retina-draping augmented-reality device scribbles adjusted teacher and student attendance rates (-1.5 percent and -2 percent, respectively), modifications to the day's projected energy consumption (an additional 200 kWh/school), recommended dietary adjustments for seven high-risk student populations scattered across 10 schools (reduced sugars for most, compensating for likely increases in morning stimulants), and last-minute wardrobe tips and talking points for a mid-morning video conference with principals (a blue-centric palette; bullish, data-driven forecasts for next fall's funding). Attention split, she will almost slip on an ice patch, grumbling, "I hate snowy days." In this special collection of Commentary essays, professors, advocates, and futurists challenge us all to deeply consider how schooling must change--and change soon--to meet the needs of a future we cannot yet envision.