When the BBC reported that schools are introducing lessons on artificial intelligence, the idea sounded like progress. After all, AI is shaping the world faster than most adults can keep up with it. Teaching children about AI should help them recognise fake news, understand bias, and use technology responsibly, but is it as much of a smart move as it sounds?
Our own Jacob, from Crest IT commented on a BBC article on LinkedIn, and it’s gone viral, sparking an unexpected debate. Jacob said:
“If you start showing 10-year-olds how AI works – its shortcuts and its tricks – aren’t you also planting the idea that AI can be used to get around doing actual work?”
Jacob’s question has resonated deeply, with opinion divided between praise and pushback.
The Double-Edged Lesson
At its core, this conversation isn’t about whether children should learn AI, it’s about how and when.
AI isn’t just another subject like geography or maths. It’s a tool with enormous power, but kids who learn to prompt ChatGPT, and generate essays in seconds, rather than thinking for themselves, may start to see effort and creativity as optional.
And that’s the dilemma: are we empowering kids with knowledge, or giving them a cheat code for life before they’ve even learned the rules?
Teaching Responsibility Before Technology
Understanding how to use AI should come hand in hand with understanding why. Ethics, responsibility, and critical thinking can’t be afterthoughts. A 10-year-old can be shown how deepfakes work, but do they really grasp why spreading misinformation is dangerous? A student can learn how ChatGPT writes essays, but will they value the learning process if a machine can do it faster?
Education isn’t just about knowledge transfer anymore; it’s about character building.
If we hand children the tools of the future without grounding them in values, are we setting them up to lead, or just to cheat.
A Generation That Grew Up with AI
What makes this debate especially interesting is who’s leading it: not teachers or policymakers, but our own Jacob, who is only recently out of school himself. A 19-year-old who’s grown up alongside AI is uniquely placed to see both sides. Jacob understands how natural it feels to reach for a tool that “just does it for you.” He also knows how that convenience can dull curiosity and effort if it’s not kept in check.
Jacob’s post isn’t anti-AI. It’s a warning that good intentions in education can sometimes have unintended consequences.
So, What’s the Answer?
Maybe the solution lies in balance.
Teach AI, yes, but also teach resilience, integrity, and creativity. Let students use AI to enhance their work, not replace it. Encourage them to ask not just “what can AI do for me?” but “what should I still do myself?”
AI is here to stay. The question isn’t whether children should learn it, it’s whether they’ll be ready to use it wisely.
If you’d like to join the debate, follow us on LinkedIn.
Or to reach out to Jacob personally, contact him via LinkedIn, or call Crest IT on 01422 291110