Education experts in India are urging that artificial intelligence (AI) should be introduced in school curricula in a way that is appropriate for students’ ages rather than using one-size-fits-all approaches. According to the report, schools should build awareness of AI gradually across grades, ensuring that tools and lessons match students’ developmental levels, with access limited to vetted AI platforms within secure school systems to reduce risks. Experts emphasise that simply giving children unrestricted access to AI tools can create safety and learning issues rather than benefits.
Shishir Jaipuria, Chairman of the Jaipuria Group of Educational Institutions, highlighted that schools need to teach students not only how to use AI but also to understand data privacy, misinformation, algorithmic bias, and intellectual property. Such foundational lessons aim to prepare students for a world where AI plays a central role, but do so responsibly so that basic digital literacy doesn’t get overtaken by uncritical reliance on technology.
Experts also warned that overdependence on AI for ready answers could undermine critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, potentially leading students to outsource their cognitive effort to machines. There is also concern about AI-generated misinformation and biases — for example, responses that inadvertently reflect cultural, gender or racial biases — which students may not be equipped to recognise without proper education around such issues.
To address these concerns, educators emphasise the need for age-appropriate digital literacy programmes that cover AI’s benefits as well as its risks and ethical considerations. Teachers themselves will require upskilling to guide students effectively, ensuring AI serves as a learning tool rather than a shortcut — and that students build both technical competence and the judgement to use it wisely.
