Mary Burns and Rebecca Winthrop, “AI’s future for students is in our hands”

Mary Burns and Rebecca Winthrop. “AI’s future for students is in our hands.” Brookings Institution, January 14 2026, https://www.brookings.edu/articles/ais-future-for-students-is-in-our-hands/

Burns and Winthrop examine both the potential benefits and serious risks of AI in education. They argue that the impact that it has on students ultimately depends on how its used. The article explains that AI can help learning with personalized instruction, immediate feedback, and greater access to educational resources especially for underserved students. It also warns that AI may undermine students cognitive, emotional, and social development if it is used without guidance.

This article does a good job of showing that the question if AI is “good” or “bad” isn’t so black and white. It argues that it is shaped by human decisions. “The future is in our hands” was the most perfect title, as it puts the responsibility on the educators and not the students.