South Korea just sent a powerful message to the world: when it comes to education, technology alone cannot replace teachers. Earlier this month, the country’s National Assembly passed an amendment that stripped AI-powered textbooks of their status as official classroom materials, downgrading them to supplementary resources after strong pushback from educators and parents.
The decision reflects a growing global debate: how far, and how fast, should schools go in introducing artificial intelligence into classrooms? And, crucially, what happens if they move too quickly?
Teacher Concerns Spark Rollback
The Korean Federation of Teachers’ Associations made clear that educators are not opposed to innovation. But they argued that rolling out AI textbooks without adequate preparation, evaluation, and training actually increased teachers’ workloads rather than easing them.
A survey conducted in July underscored these concerns: 87.4% of Korean teachers said they lacked sufficient preparation and support for using the AI textbooks. The majority said teachers should be able to choose how to integrate the materials based on their classroom needs.
“We must not be absorbed in introducing technology while ignoring the voices of teachers,” the association said in a press release.
A Cautionary Tale for the United States
Education experts say the U.S. should take note. Alex Kotran, founder and CEO of the AI Education Project, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing AI literacy, said the backlash was predictable.
“Research shows that you’re going to get the best outcomes in teacher-centered classrooms,” Kotran said. “Anything that moves too quickly, focuses only on the technology, and fails to provide proper professional training risks undermining learning instead of improving it.”
In April, the Trump administration signed an executive order creating an AI task force to promote partnerships between schools and the tech industry, with funding redirected to AI initiatives. Supporters say AI can personalize education, but critics caution that the evidence on its effectiveness is thin and that teachers not algorithms are the key to student success.
“The order should be rejected in favor of what research shows works best: investing in classrooms and instruction designed by educators,” said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers.
The Promise and the Pitfalls of AI
Despite skepticism, AI has already shown potential benefits in some U.S. classrooms. A Gallup and Walton Family Foundation survey of more than 2,000 teachers found that among those who use AI:
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64% said AI helped create higher-quality modifications to student materials.
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61% said it provided better insights into student learning and achievement.
Still, the report concluded there is “no clear consensus” on whether AI tools should be widely used in K-12 education.
Kotran stressed that while teaching AI skills will prepare students for the workforce, there is little evidence that AI can replace traditional instruction. “It’s not just about using AI — it’s about durable skills like communication, problem solving, and critical thinking,” he said. “Those are teacher-centered endeavors.”
Bigger Risks on the Horizon
The debate isn’t limited to schools. JPMorgan analysts recently warned of the risk of a “jobless recovery” as AI displaces white-collar workers. Tech leaders have echoed concerns that AI adoption could accelerate job cuts in sectors previously considered safe.
For Kotran, this raises a pressing question: Are schools preparing students for an economy where AI may reshape the very jobs they aspire to? “When it comes to education, the AI just isn’t good enough to replace teachers yet. And it’s a bad bet for schools to assume the technology will improve fast enough to offset the risks,” he said.
The stakes are high. As Kotran pointedly asked: “If you’re a parent, do you really want to experiment on your kid?”
South Korea’s rollback shows that enthusiasm for AI in classrooms must be balanced with caution, teacher training, and respect for the educator’s role. For the U.S., where policymakers are pushing aggressive AI adoption in schools, the lesson is clear: technology should enhance learning, not replace teachers.
As schools grapple with how to integrate AI responsibly, one truth remains: the future of education lies not in machines alone, but in empowering teachers to use technology wisely.
