The Battle Over A.I. in the Classroom
The Daily
With the school year ending, all over the country educators and parents are taking stock of the drastic shift caused by artificial intelligence in the classroom.
Today, Natasha Singer, a technology reporter, discusses the year that reshaped American classrooms and how one dedicated teacher helped his students chart their own path into an uncertain future.
Guest: Natasha Singer, a technology reporter for The New York Times.
Background reading:
- Teachers say they want to equip high school students to drive A.I., rather than be mere passengers steered by chatbots.
- A.I. companies are urging teachers to prepare students for an “A.I.-driven future.”
- The American Federation of Teachers recommended “no screens” at all for those in second grade or younger, and no A.I. chatbots for students in elementary school.
Photo: Juan Arredondo for The New York Times
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?sou.... For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.
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Raw Description
<p>With the school year ending, all over the country educators and parents are taking stock of the drastic shift caused by artificial intelligence in the classroom.</p> <p>Today, Natasha Singer, a technology reporter, discusses the year that reshaped American classrooms and how one dedicated teacher helped his students chart their own path into an uncertain future.</p> <p>Guest: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/natasha-singer" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Natasha Singer</strong></a>, a technology reporter for The New York Times.</p> <p>Background reading: </p> <ul> <li>Teachers say they want to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/23/technology/ai-literacy-newark-school-chatbots.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">equip high school students to drive A.I.</a>, rather than be mere passengers steered by chatbots.</li> <li>A.I. companies are urging <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/23/business/ai-literacy-faq.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">teachers to prepare students for an “A.I.-driven future.”</a></li> <li>The <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/27/technology/ai-screens-schools-weingarten.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">American Federation of Teachers recommended</a> “no screens” at all for those in second grade or younger, and no A.I. chatbots for students in elementary school.</li> </ul> <p>Photo: Juan Arredondo for The New York Times</p> <p>For more information on today’s episode, visit <a href="http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily" rel="noopener noreferrer">nytimes.com/thedaily</a>. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. </p> <p><p>Subscribe today at <a href="http://nytimes.com/podcasts">nytimes.com/podcasts</a> or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher">https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher</a>. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.</p></p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>
Show Notes
With the school year ending, all over the country educators and parents are taking stock of the drastic shift caused by artificial intelligence in the classroom.
Today, Natasha Singer, a technology reporter, discusses the year that reshaped American classrooms and how one dedicated teacher helped his students chart their own path into an uncertain future.
Guest: Natasha Singer, a technology reporter for The New York Times.
Background reading:
- Teachers say they want to equip high school students to drive A.I., rather than be mere passengers steered by chatbots.
- A.I. companies are urging teachers to prepare students for an “A.I.-driven future.”
- The American Federation of Teachers recommended “no screens” at all for those in second grade or younger, and no A.I. chatbots for students in elementary school.
Photo: Juan Arredondo for The New York Times
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?sou.... For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Raw Description
<p>With the school year ending, all over the country educators and parents are taking stock of the drastic shift caused by artificial intelligence in the classroom.</p> <p>Today, Natasha Singer, a technology reporter, discusses the year that reshaped American classrooms and how one dedicated teacher helped his students chart their own path into an uncertain future.</p> <p>Guest: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/natasha-singer" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Natasha Singer</strong></a>, a technology reporter for The New York Times.</p> <p>Background reading: </p> <ul> <li>Teachers say they want to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/23/technology/ai-literacy-newark-school-chatbots.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">equip high school students to drive A.I.</a>, rather than be mere passengers steered by chatbots.</li> <li>A.I. companies are urging <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/23/business/ai-literacy-faq.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">teachers to prepare students for an “A.I.-driven future.”</a></li> <li>The <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/27/technology/ai-screens-schools-weingarten.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">American Federation of Teachers recommended</a> “no screens” at all for those in second grade or younger, and no A.I. chatbots for students in elementary school.</li> </ul> <p>Photo: Juan Arredondo for The New York Times</p> <p>For more information on today’s episode, visit <a href="http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily" rel="noopener noreferrer">nytimes.com/thedaily</a>. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. </p> <p><p>Subscribe today at <a href="http://nytimes.com/podcasts">nytimes.com/podcasts</a> or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher">https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher</a>. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.</p></p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>