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Op-Ed: New Jersey’s next education divide is AI

AI in Education EditorialUpdated June 2, 20261 min readRead source
Op-Ed: New Jersey’s next education divide is AI
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Credit: (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) File photo I received a call one Friday evening in January 2025. My school board leadership was frantic. News surfaced that a local charter school was close to cementing a deal to launch a nursing program at the former Muhlenberg Hospital in Plainfield. The concern was immediate: Program expansion by a competing school could lead to declining public enrollment.

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People Also Ask

What role does education play in the development of AI?
Education shapes the next generation of AI researchers, ethicists, and practitioners. Universities produce the talent that builds AI systems, while K-12 education increasingly incorporates computational thinking and data literacy to prepare all students — not just future engineers — to participate meaningfully in an AI-shaped society.
How is AI changing the way students learn?
AI is personalizing learning at scale through adaptive platforms that adjust difficulty and pacing to each student. It is also automating administrative tasks for teachers, enabling new forms of assessment like real-time comprehension checks, and making expert tutoring more accessible through AI-powered tools like Khan Academy's Khanmigo.
What skills do students need to thrive in an AI-driven world?
Students need a blend of technical literacy (understanding how AI works), critical thinking (evaluating AI outputs), creativity (doing what AI cannot), and ethical reasoning (understanding impacts on society). The OECD and UNESCO both highlight adaptability and human-centered skills as the most future-proof investments for learners.
Is AI replacing teachers?
AI is not replacing teachers — it is automating repetitive tasks like grading multiple-choice assessments and generating first drafts of lesson plans. The irreplaceable aspects of teaching — mentorship, social-emotional support, classroom management, and moral guidance — remain fundamentally human and are increasingly valued as AI handles more mechanical tasks.