The Age-Appropriate Application of AI in Instruction

AI is rapidly changing industries and the workforce needed to sustain them. Recent estimates suggest 65 percent of students in elementary school today will work in jobs that do not currently exist. Those students will need to develop AI literacy skills needed to thrive in communities and careers integrated with AI technology.

So when should students begin developing these skills? In Georgia, the Gwinnett County Public Schools believes developing responsible and ethical AI users requires an intentional K-12 learning progression.

Habits and beliefs about technology are developed early for most students, so learning experiences should shape healthy habits and beliefs. While it may not be age-appropriate for elementary students to directly engage with AI tools, they can begin to recognize and understand them. Learning how AI and other technology works can demystify it and allow students to make more responsible and informed decisions. Embedding this learning strategically across grade levels provides relevant and authentic experiences as students mature and their use of AI becomes more complex.