Will AI Change Education Forever?

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    Image Credit: Pingnan Lu for NPR

Will AI Change Education Forever?

  In this special series from NPR, Learning in the age of AI, the complicated relationship between education and artificial intelligence is explored. You can choose from nearly a dozen current articles & episodes to learn more.

Articles of Interest from NPR:

Gaines, L. V. (2026, March 3). College students, professors are making their own AI rules. They don't always agree. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2026/03/03/nx-s1-5716176/ai-college-students-professors

Gaines, L. V. (2026, May 25). This big university system is embracing AI. Students and faculty aren't all on board. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2026/05/25/nx-s1-5772820/artificial-intelligence-education-technology-california-state-university

  At Portland State University, individual instructors currently determine how artificial intelligence may be used in their classrooms. As AI technologies become increasingly integrated into higher education, stricter institution wide policies may soon become necessary. The rapid expansion of data centers in Oregon and across the United States suggests AI is not a temporary trend but a technology that is becoming deeply imbedded in daily life and digital infrastructure. While AI offers significant opportunities for innovation and learning, it is already raising concerns for its growing environmental footprint. Researchers have highlighted AI data centers excessive need for energy and water resources. This, along with the 2026 drought conditions across the western United States set red flags ablaze. https://research.fs.usda.gov/pnw/understory/us-drought-status-april-2026

  The future of AI in education is only one aspect of a much broader debate about the role of artificial intelligence in society. In its statement on AI policy, the U.S. government argues that, "America is in a race to achieve global dominance in artificial intelligence (AI). Winning this race will usher in a new era of human flourishing, economic competitiveness, and national security for the American people.” (https://www.ai.gov/action-plan) Consistent with this goal, the first priority listed in the federal AI Action Plan is: "Removing Red Tape and Onerous Regulation.” While proponents argue that reducing regulatory barriers will accelerate innovation and strengthen U.S. competitiveness, critics warn that rapid expansion without sufficient oversight could make AI systems increasingly difficult to regulate and govern. Some leaders within the AI industry already suggest that the rate of development may already be outpacing society’s ability to establish effective safeguards. Here you can view OpenAI’s newly published Democratic Governance of Frontier AI: A blueprint for a federal framework.

This Politico article goes over OpenAI "diverging from the White House on AI safety rules":

Bordelon, B. (2026, June 3). OpenAI pushes White House to reject strict AI safety rules. Politico. https://www.politico.com/news/2026/06/03/openai-white-house-ai-safety-rules-00948478

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