It feels like things are changing faster than we can keep up with, doesn’t it? Particularly in education, it seems like things are moving so fast that there is no way a textbook can keep up with it all. Heck, even some of the amazing apps we’ve grown to love over the last decade don’t seem to have what it takes either.
One thing that definitely seems clear to me is that AI literacy is no longer optional for students. It’s the new foundational skill set they (and we) simply need to have.
We used to talk about reading, writing, and math as the cornerstones of education. Today, we need to add something new to that list: the ability to understand and interact with artificial intelligence. Not because every student will grow up to be an AI engineer, but because every career will be touched by AI in some way.
As educators and school leaders, it’s our job to prepare students, not just for the world that was and is, but more importantly for the world that is going to be.
This starts with recognizing that AI literacy belongs in the same category as digital citizenship, critical thinking, and communication. It is essential for success in the classroom, the workplace, and our society.
What Is AI Literacy?
AI literacy isn’t about knowing how to code or build apps. It’s about helping students:
- Understand how AI tools work at a basic level.
- Use AI responsibly and ethically.
- Collaborate with AI for research, content creation, and problem-solving.
- Think critically about information AI generates.
- Recognize where AI can support creativity, and where human judgment still matters.
Just like we teach students to evaluate sources in a research paper, we now need to teach them to evaluate the outputs of an AI model.
Why It Matters Today (Not 10 Years from Now)
We’re already seeing a shift in the workforce. According to recent reports:
- 66% of industry leaders say they wouldn’t hire someone without AI skills
- Creative thinking and adaptability are among the most in-demand career skills
- Students without digital fluency are at risk of underemployment, even with a degree
The students sitting in our classrooms today will graduate into a job market that expects them to create presentations with AI, generate ideas using AI tools, and evaluate AI-generated data. We can’t wait until college to start teaching these skills.
Classroom Benefits Go Beyond Career Readiness
Here’s the thing: when students learn how to use AI tools creatively and ethically, it doesn’t just prepare them for future jobs. It also makes them better learners right now.
Teachers in a recent Adobe Education study reported that AI-powered creative projects helped students:
- Build confidence
- Express complex ideas more clearly
- Take ownership of their learning
- Collaborate more effectively
In other words, AI isn’t replacing the teacher—it’s extending the teacher’s impact.
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What School Leaders and Educators Can Do Today
Take a breath. You don’t need to change everything today. You don’t to completely overhaul your curriculum this week. This can be a process. There are small, but effective, things we can begin doing in order to support our students and our teachers:
- Introduce AI tools in creative projects (writing, multimedia, storytelling).
- Create space for student reflection on how and why they used AI in their work.
- Offer professional learning focused on AI literacy and creative applications.
- Model ethical use of AI in your own workflows and decision-making.
And perhaps most importantly, make it clear to students that AI is a tool, not a shortcut—a partner in learning, not a replacement for thinking.
This Isn’t Just Tech Integration. It’s Future Readiness.
Teaching AI literacy isn’t about keeping up with a trend. It’s about preparing students to adapt, create, and lead in a world we can’t fully predict yet. AI skills are no longer optional add-ons. We need to see these skills for what they are: Essential for our students’ futures, alongside the foundational skills like reading and writing. The careers they’ll enter might not exist yet, but the skills we teach today can help them shape those futures with confidence, creativity, and purpose.
About Jeff Gargas
Jeff is the COO/Co-founder of the Teach Better Team and co-author of “Teach Better.” He works with educators to increase student engagement and improve student success. He also leads the EDUcreator Club Mastermind and MBA Programs as part of the EDUcreator Club+ Community, and offers 1-on-1 coaching for teachers who have a product or idea they want to share with others to better education.
Prior to co-founding Teach Better, Jeff was the owner of ENI Multimedia, an online marketing firm, where he worked with entrepreneurs and small businesses, assisting them with web design, social media, content marketing, and brand awareness. Prior to all of this, Jeff was an adjunctive professor at Kent State University and spent 10+ years in the music industry. He has spoken at conferences around the country, and has successfully promoted more than 500 events and launched 7 businesses in a variety of industries.
Jeff is passionate about music, and enjoys spending time with his family as often as possible.
