The New Learning Reality: How AI Is Changing Learning Before Parents Catch Up & Here’s What You Can Do Now

By Amy D. Love, Founder of DISCOVERING AI and Author of RAISING ENTREPRENEURS: Preparing Kids for Success in the Age of AI

“Every family needs a framework to talk about technology before it becomes a source of confusion or conflict.” - Amy D. Love

The New Learning Reality

Artificial intelligence is entering schools faster than most families realize.

National data from 2025 shows that over 60% of K–12 U.S. schools are already experimenting with AI for lesson planning, grading, or personalized learning. Yet most districts still lack clear policies on how students should or should not use AI for assignments and tests.

At the same time, more than 40% of middle and high school students say they have used AI tools like ChatGPT to write essays, summarize readings, or complete homework.

Teachers report mixed reactions. About half believe AI can deepen learning when guided by an educator. Others worry it could widen skill gaps or encourage shortcuts that replace effort with automation. Many schools have blocked popular chatbots altogether, although few have a structured plan to teach students how to use AI responsibly or to detect when its use crosses a line.

College admissions officers now face similar challenges. They are reviewing essays with heightened scrutiny, trying to balance innovation and integrity while redefining what it means for an application to reflect a student’s authentic work.

A Model Worth Watching

During our DISCOVERING AI National Back-to-School event, Kelli Kilpatrick, former admissions officer at Duke, Notre Dame, and Texas A&M, highlighted how Georgia Tech is setting a thoughtful example in this space.

Georgia Tech embraces AI as a tool that can enhance both creativity and efficiency while maintaining clear boundaries of authenticity.

For applicants:
Students are encouraged to use AI for brainstorming, organization, and editing similar to how one might seek feedback from a trusted mentor or counselor. Copying and pasting text generated by AI, however, is not permitted. Essays must reflect a student’s own voice, personal experiences, and unique insights.

For the university:
Georgia Tech also uses AI internally to handle the increasing volume of applications. The technology assists in data processing and sorting, allowing the admissions team to work more efficiently. Yet every decision remains guided by people, not algorithms. The university keeps a human in the loop to ensure accountability, context, and fairness.

This balance, AI as a complement rather than a substitute, offers a valuable model for schools, families, and institutions alike. It demonstrates that innovation and integrity can coexist when values come first.

Parents Are Playing Catch-Up

Despite the rapid rollout of AI in education, most families are still unaware of how easily children can access these tools.

A 2025 Pew Research study found that fewer than 3 in 10 parents feel “very informed” about AI’s role in their child’s education or confident guiding them in its responsible use. Nearly half do not realize that AI tools are already built into common apps, browsers, and devices, often with no filters, context, or safeguards.

When guidance is missing, children often treat AI as a shortcut rather than a tool for deeper understanding. Researchers warn that early habits around technology shape lifelong patterns in curiosity, independence, and problem-solving. The ways children use AI today will influence how they think, work, and make decisions tomorrow.

We have seen this pattern before. Families faced similar uncertainty with the internet, smartphones, and social media, often responding only after the risks became clear. This time, we have a chance to lead the conversation before confusion turns to crisis.

The Case for a FAMILY AI GAME PLAN™

Families missed the moment with social media. The FAMILY AI GAME PLAN™ ensures we do not repeat that mistake.

This framework gives parents and students a shared way to talk about how AI is used at home and at school. It replaces fear with understanding and creates alignment around when AI can help and when it should be set aside.

A FAMILY AI GAME PLAN™ helps families:

• Build Awareness and Alignment. Parents and children decide together what AI use is acceptable, what is not, and how to use it responsibly.
  

• Foster Responsibility. Children learn to treat AI as a thinking partner rather than a shortcut.
  

• Strengthen Connection. Families turn technology into a conversation that builds trust rather than tension.
  

• Prepare for the Future. Students who learn to think with AI will be ready for the opportunities ahead.
  

AI is already shaping how children learn, think, and create. Schools are still finding their footing, and many parents do not realize how early these habits are forming. A FAMILY AI GAME PLAN™ gives families clarity, confidence, and control in a time of rapid change.

Learning from Leadership

The example shared by Kelli Kilpatrick underscores what intentional AI leadership looks like in schools, universities, and families. Georgia Tech’s balanced approach shows that the goal is not to avoid AI. The goal is to integrate it thoughtfully, with human judgment and ethical awareness guiding every step.

Parents can do the same at home. The conversation does not need to be technical. It needs to be intentional.

Ask your child how they have used AI this week. Explore what feels exciting and what feels confusing. Build shared understanding rather than assuming they know less or more than you.

The FAMILY AI GAME PLAN™ was created to guide exactly these kinds of conversations. It helps families move from uncertainty to confidence by providing a clear, values-based framework for how AI can and should be used at home and at school. It gives parents the language, structure, and examples to have meaningful discussions about technology, curiosity, and responsibility, all in one place.

When families talk about AI with clarity and consistency, they do more than set boundaries. They build trust. And trust is what helps children grow into confident, ethical, and future-ready learners.

Please share your thoughts

If your child’s school has not yet set clear AI guidelines, what values or boundaries do you want to establish as a family? Share your thoughts below.

Do you have questions you’d like to see me address in a future issue? Sent them to [email protected]

Your experiences and ideas help other parents and educators shape the conversation we all need to have.

𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 23, 2025: DISCOVERING AI: A Parent’s Guide to Raising Future-Ready Kids, a clear roadmap to guide your family with confidence in the Age of AI.