AI in education should be applied the same way we use GPS in cars.

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When used correctly, it becomes a powerful guide, helping students navigate complex ideas and find efficient routes to understanding by suggesting shortcuts and offering new perspectives.

However, students certainly shouldn't let the GPS do all the driving. Over-reliance on AI means they miss out on the thrill of discovery and the chance to build essential skills.

They might reach their destination, but without truly understanding how they got there, leading to a surface-level understanding of subjects. This undermines the critical thinking, problem-solving, and resilience that education aims to foster.

In a world where digital tools are essential in the workplace, knowing how to "drive" without AI is a vital skill for our future workforce. AI is undeniably an exceptional learning tool, but it isn't flawless and, in education, brings with it many challenges.

Educators can teach students how and when to use AI by setting guidelines and frameworks that keep students in the driver's seat, empowering them to make decisions, and even get a little lost sometimes.

Used wisely, AI becomes a co-driver, enhancing learning and giving students confidence. Used blindly, it becomes the autopilot, robbing students of the skills they need for life beyond the classroom.

The goal is to nurture, not restrict a transformative technology. AI should help students find their way, but never take the wheel. This approach will cultivate a more capable and responsible generation ready for a world where AI is ubiquitous.

AI has quickly become a fixture in classrooms, presenting both promise and peril.

On one hand, it's a powerful educational tool offering students ways to brainstorm, draft, and problem-solve like never before. On the other, misuse can turn it into a shortcut that undermines meaningful learning. However, the reality is clear. AI literacy is now a requisite for work and life.

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© Canberra Times