If today’s students will live in a world where AI is always at their fingertips, what happens if they don’t learn to use it wisely? How can we equip them with the AI skills they will need to navigate their futures?
One growing concern is the increase in “cognitive offloading”—reducing the mental effort required to complete tasks by relying on AI tools. The fear is that students may become overly dependent on these systems, diminishing their comfort and confidence in reasoning through complex problems on their own.
This highlights the need to build students’ competencies in using AI productively. To succeed in a world where AI is ubiquitous, students must learn to evaluate AI outputs, use AI ethically, and understand when—and when not—to rely on these tools.
These skills do not replace core academic subjects. In fact, AI’s evolution only elevates the importance of literacy and math. Prompting, analyzing, and evaluating AI outputs requires a strong foundation in reading, writing, and critical thinking—skills rooted in English language arts and mathematics. If K–12 education aims to prepare students for success in work and life, it is worth considering how to introduce AI tools thoughtfully and help students build the skills to use them effectively.
I recently spoke about these tensions with Alex Kotran, CEO, AI Education Project (aiEDU), a nonprofit that collaborates with education systems to ensure all students are prepared to live, work, and thrive in an AI-driven world. Alex and his team at aiEDU are experts on advancing AI literacy and readiness through high-quality curriculum, professional learning, and strategic partnerships with states, districts, and school systems. The organization recently released version 2.0 of its AI Readiness Framework—a comprehensive guide to preparing students, educators, and systems for an AI-enabled future.
Below, Alex shares insights into advancing AI literacy and readiness with students, educators, and school systems.
Kyle: What is the difference between AI literacy and AI readiness? Why does that distinction matter?
Alex: “AI literacy” is the understanding of what AI is, how it works, and how to use and evaluate it responsibly. “AI readiness” goes a step further, encompassing the knowledge and capabilities required to combine one’s uniquely human strengths—such as critical thinking and collaboration—with evolving AI tools to achieve personal and career goals.
The distinction matters because literacy builds awareness, while readiness ensures that people and systems can engage with AI effectively, critically, and ethically. aiEDU supports both AI literacy and readiness, and works to help students, teachers, and school systems move along the AI readiness continuum.
Kyle: You recently published version 2.0 of your AI Readiness Framework. What has changed from version 1.0, and how often do you plan to update it?
Alex: To strengthen the second version of our AI Readiness Framework, aiEDU conducted new research, and analyzed labor market data and K–12 graduation requirements with The Burning Glass Institute. We found that human skills—such as communication, collaboration, and critical thinking—are growing in value. Many technical skills will increasingly be augmented with AI, requiring strong foundational knowledge alongside emerging AI skills.
This presents a central challenge for K–12 education. Educators cannot choose between developing durable skills, core content knowledge, and AI competencies. They must adopt an integrated approach that teaches all of them—and teaches them well. To thrive in a world shaped by AI, students need both foundational learning and the ability to assess and direct AI tools.
This shift also requires understanding students’ human advantages differently, developing new competencies for educators, and elevating the role of school leaders in shaping a clear pedagogical vision for AI implementation. Version 2.0 of our framework provides a baseline for each of these key groups.
Given how rapidly AI is evolving, it is difficult to predict how often updates will be needed. As new tools, ethical considerations, and workforce demand emerge, the framework will remain a living roadmap aligned with ongoing technological and educational change.
Kyle: How should schools be integrating AI tools, skills, and competencies into learning experiences?
Alex: Schools should integrate AI concepts across subjects so that every student can build AI literacy and readiness competencies. Students should also have hands-on opportunities to apply AI in creative, ethical, and collaborative ways that highlight their human strengths. To make this possible, schools must support teachers with training, clear policies, and a culture that encourages equitable, confident, and purposeful AI use.
Kyle: What is aiEDU doing to support schools, districts, and states in incorporating AI readiness?
Alex: aiEDU helps schools and districts build AI readiness by providing frameworks, curriculum, and professional development that embed AI learning across content areas. Within our AI Readiness Framework, the School AI Readiness Rubric guides schools in aligning their approach to district-level readiness, while the District AI Readiness Rubric outlines the broader systems-level work required to prepare for AI use and support AI readiness.
As of October 2025, 31 states have issued guidance or policy on AI use in schools. aiEDU has supported several of these efforts. In Ohio, we partnered with the Lieutenant Governor’s office to develop a statewide AI K–12 Toolkit in June 2024 and collaborated with the Ohio Educational Service Center Association (OESCA) to host four statewide summits that convened nearly 1,000 educators. In Colorado, we partnered with the Colorado Education Initiative (CEI) to lead a 100-person working group—including urban, rural, and Indigenous communities—that produced a comprehensive Roadmap for AI in K–12 Education in August 2024.
About the author
Kyle Butler
Kyle Butler is senior manager of K-12 education programs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.
