Young Voices on AI: Why AI Education in Schools Matters

At SAIFCA, we believe in amplifying the voices of young people who are growing up in a world shaped by artificial intelligence. Their perspectives are vital in shaping a future that is not only technologically advanced, but also safe, fair, and human-centred.

The following article was written by Jaisal Ahmadullah, an A Level student in the UK studying Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Physics, and Economics, who is voluntarily contributing to SAIFCA.

It explores the importance of AI education in schools from a UK student’s point of view – highlighting the potential benefits of large language models (LLMs) in supporting learning, and advocating for a curriculum that includes technical understanding, practical usage, and ethical reflection.

While Jaisal’s views are personal, they resonate with one of our core aims: ensuring that children are equipped to understand and critically engage with AI systems.

At the same time, we believe education alone is not enough. For children to use AI safely, the systems they access must be designed with safety in mind – with appropriate age restrictions, safeguards against manipulation, and transparency about risks. These systems must also be age-appropriate, safe, and critically understood.

Teaching safe usage is essential, and so too is holding developers accountable for building responsible, child-safe systems.

We’re proud to share this piece as part of our ongoing effort to raise awareness, spark discussion, and encourage more young people to engage with the big questions AI presents for their generation.

Thank you, Jaisal!

‘Why AI education in schools matters’

By Jaisal Ahmadullah

1975. The widespread distribution of electronic calculators elicits vehement opposition from academia and parents alike. Many feared that students would become reliant on the technology, compromising their arithmetic skills as a consequence. This feeling was particularly strong in the United States, with several states banning calculators on all standardised tests. However, in the 1985-1986 school year, Connecticut became the first state to mandate calculators on state exams. After this, a milestone event came in 2002 when the electronic calculator was allowed on the SAT. 

Today, calculators are undoubtedly a ubiquitous tool of a modern mathematics classroom. They allow students to compute calculations with far greater accuracy, speed and reliability, freeing up time to learn more complex mathematics. 

This initial resistance to calculator technology in the 1970s is reminiscent of resistance to AI today. It seems inevitable that AI will undoubtedly become a vital tool in the next few decades for educating people. 

I am part of the first generation growing up with AI not just as a concept from a science fiction book, but as a real, pressing force for change in our daily lives. AI is changing the way we learn, suddenly I no longer need to scour the internet for Maths questions on Trigonometry; instead, I can simply ask ChatGPT or Perplexity to generate questions of an appropriate difficulty catering specifically to my ability and weaknesses in the topic. Despite the countless benefits AI can bring in understanding Great Expectations to solving a differential equation; there is virtually no formal AI education whatsoever in most schools.

This aforementioned personalisation for a learner is particularly valuable, LLMs could be instrumental in allowing students to navigate the school system. LLMs like ChatGPT are able to provide comprehensive support to students; whether that be stress management tips just before a big exam, or explaining a particular concept that was covered in a lesson that a student may have missed due to sickness. Additionally, as per reports by the McKinsey Global Institute, by 2030, around 70% of companies might adopt at least one type of AI technology. But this immense advancement is futile unless our students have access to comprehensive AI education from an early age. 

However, such benefits can only be unlocked when pupils understand how to leverage these powerful tools. If schools understood that AI tools are something which should be an aide rather than a threat, students would benefit immeasurably. I believe that such an education will only be effective with a multi faceted, interdisciplinary focus. Such an education can be broadly broken up into a tripartite system, focusing on 3 key aspects: the best way to exploit practical applications of AI, the Science and Mathematics behind it, and the ethics surrounding its use. 

Firstly, students should be taught on how to best make use of AI. This can come in many forms, but perhaps most importantly is learning ‘prompt engineering’. Prompt engineering is the art and science of designing and optimising a prompt in order to obtain a desired output. Next, students should also be equipped with the knowledge required on how to best interact with models, and which ones to choose from, and how to determine which model to choose and so forth. 

Next, I believe that educators should strive to instil a strong foundation of how this technology works. Explaining the basics of machine learning and neural networks will prove vital, especially with how this can link into bias in models. This allows for students to decipher what’s going on behind the scenes, and gives them greater agency over the technology.

Finally, students should certainly have a module discussing the ethical use of AI. It is paramount that students are taught to think critically about the implications of its use. Ethical education in AI should cover topics such as data privacy, algorithmic bias, misinformation, and the role of AI in surveillance. Students must grapple with questions like: ‘who is responsible when an AI system fails?’ or ‘should AI be allowed to replace human decision-making in areas like criminal justice?’ Embedding these discussions into the curriculum ensures that students don't just become skilled users of AI, but also conscientious ones, aware of the broader social, political, and moral impacts of this technology. Equipping students with this ethical lens empowers them to contribute to the development of AI in a way that is responsible, fair and equitable to all.

In sum, AI education in schools holds extraordinary potential, but this must be paired with thoughtful regulation and structured implementation. The transition from calculator scepticism to calculator universality may be reminiscent of the AI landscape. The risk lies not in embracing AI too early, but in failing to prepare students for a world in which AI is already here.