Chicago school to use AI in classroom instruction this fall, report says

A school in Chicago is preparing to incorporate artificial intelligence into classroom instruction this fall, with students using AI tools for core subjects while guided by staff, CBS reported Wednesday.

At Alpha Chicago, part of the private K-12 school network Alpha Schools founded in 2014, AI will be used for one to two hours a day to teach subjects such as science, math and reading, while each student is assigned a "guide" rather than a traditional teacher.

Despite the use of AI, the school said students will not learn from robots or spend the entire day in front of screens, and teachers will still play a central role.

"We are using the same curriculum that students in the classroom are learning from. This is not ChatGPT coming up with made-up questions," founder Mackenzie Price said.

Price said the system can assess students' knowledge and identify gaps, adding that guides will be paid high salaries.

"Teachers are not going to be replaced. They are the most important part of making a model work, and they are the reason that our model is so successful," she said.

Liz Gerber of Northwestern University's Center for Human-Computer Interaction and Design described Alpha Schools as a self-directed learning model rooted in Montessori principles, but said she is hesitant to label it an AI school.

"It's really not that new, to be honest, it's personalized learning," she said.

With annual tuition of $55,000, the school primarily attracts affluent families.

According to Alpha Schools, its students rank in the top 1% on national standardized tests and progress at an average rate 2.6 times faster than peers on MAP assessments.

So far, 35 students have expressed interest, and two have enrolled for the upcoming school year.

The school aims to reach 50 students by fall 2026 and is currently accepting applications.

There are 22 Alpha Schools across the United States.