A recent open letter from leading AI research company Anthropic suggested that by 2026 or 2027, we could see AI systems capable of Nobel-level thinking across multiple disciplines. These systems, with the ability to reason, automate digital tasks, and even interact with the physical world, bring enormous opportunities, and serious challenges, for society and especially for education.

So how do we prepare students for a world where AI is everywhere?

At Dio, we believe the answer lies in embracing AI thoughtfully. We focus on teaching critical engagement, building digital confidence, and reimagining how learning and assessment are designed in this new era.

The Global Context: A Worldwide Shift

Across the world, education systems are moving quickly to respond:

• Estonia is providing free AI education tools to all secondary teachers and students.
• China will introduce mandatory AI literacy from the age of six starting this year.
• The United States has declared AI literacy a national K–12 priority in a 2025 executive order.
• Other countries, including Australia, Singapore, the UK, France, South Korea, Finland, the UAE, and Canada, are all actively integrating AI into their schools.

This global momentum highlights the urgency and importance of preparing the next generation for an AI-enabled world.

Harnessing AI for Learning: Opportunities at Our School

We don’t see AI as a threat. We see it as a powerful amplifier for both teaching and learning. Here’s how our students and teachers are already seeing the benefits:

For Students

• Faster, deeper research: Tools like Google’s Gemini and Perplexity help students gather, organise, and summarise information in minutes.
• Instant feedback: Custom AI apps provide real-time, constructive feedback. It’s like having a teaching assistant available 24/7.
• Language support: Students learning English as an additional language can instantly translate complex texts.
• Reading at the right level: AI adjusts reading complexity to suit each learner.
• Tailored learning assistants: Teachers are building AI tools customised to specific subjects and topics.
• Diverse formats: AI transforms content into summaries, quizzes, diagrams, and more – supporting all learning styles.

For Teachers

• Smarter tools: The same apps supporting students help teachers deliver more targeted and effective lessons.
• Faster assessment: AI assists with grading, moderation, and feedback, improving both speed and consistency.
• Data insights: AI can quickly highlight learning gaps and trends.
• High-quality resources: Teachers can generate engaging and accurate content more efficiently.
• Extended capabilities: AI helps educators tackle projects that once felt out of reach.

Navigating the Challenges: Ethics, Assessment, and the Pace of Change

We’re also fully aware that AI brings challenges, and we’re addressing them openly:

• Trust and accuracy: AI can “hallucinate” or provide incorrect information. We teach students to question, verify, and evaluate AI outputs critically.
• Assessment rethink: If AI can write the essay, what are we really measuring? We’re using the AI Assessment Scale (Leon Furze et al.) to redefine how and what we assess and moving beyond outputs to deeper thinking.
• Ethical use: We’re developing clear school guidelines around privacy, safety, and responsible AI use.
• Cognitive offload: We’re asking tough questions about how much thinking should be done with AI versus by AI. Our approach is to use AI to enhance, not replace, student thinking.
• Rapid change: Technologies are evolving faster than policies and mindsets. Preparing students to adapt and lead through uncertainty is one of our biggest responsibilities.

Tools We Use: AI in Practice at Dio

To support this journey, we’ve carefully chosen AI tools that are safe, effective, and aligned with our values:

• Playlab.ai
  A secure, school-friendly platform where teachers build custom AI tools to support learning. Playlab gives us access to top-tier models from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and others, all in one place. This allows us to personalise lessons, offer instant help, and engage students in smart, responsible ways.
• ThingLink
  Used to create interactive images, videos, and virtual tours. Whether exploring historical sites or breaking down complex ideas, students can click, explore, and engage with content in rich, visual ways.
• Gamma
  An AI-powered presentation tool that helps teachers create clean, professional slides quickly. It’s ideal for making complex topics clear and visually appealing.
• Gemini (Google)
  Gemini supports research, summarising, and content generation across all subjects. It’s particularly useful for adapting materials to suit different age groups and learning levels.
• NotebookLM (Google)
  An AI research assistant that helps teachers and students manage and understand large volumes of information. Upload notes and documents, then ask questions and get structured, helpful responses. Just like a digital study coach.

The Impact: What We’re Seeing

We are still early in our use of AI across the school, but the benefits are already becoming clear, both in how students learn and how teachers teach.

For Students

• Tailored content for every learner
• Fast, accessible feedback and support
• Engaging, creative ways to express ideas
• Tools that support learning at home
• Equitable access to knowledge
• Development of critical, future-ready skills

For Teachers

• Time savings in planning and marking
• Enhanced unit and lesson design and presentation
• Smarter student tracking and differentiation
• Less admin, more teaching
• Greater professional confidence with AI as a partner

The Bottom Line

• Students are more engaged.
• Teachers are more empowered.
• And AI is not replacing the human element. It’s amplifying it.

We’re not using AI for the sake of it. We’re using it where it makes a real difference. Helping students understand more clearly, work more independently, and engage more confidently. At the same time, we’re laying the groundwork for the future, supporting students to build the critical thinking and adaptability they’ll need in a rapidly changing world.

Charting the Course

Artificial intelligence is reshaping the way we live, work, and learn, and education is no exception. At Diocesan, we’re not waiting to catch up. We’re actively exploring how AI can be used responsibly, creatively, and meaningfully in our classrooms.

By integrating these tools with purpose, addressing the challenges with care, and focusing on the skills students truly need, we’re helping them become adaptable, critical thinkers who are ready to engage with whatever the future brings.

The path ahead is still unfolding, but our direction is clear: thoughtful innovation, grounded in great teaching and learning.

The future may be uncertain. Our commitment to it is not.