The future of AI must still be deeply human.
The room was full for United to Learn’s Women’s Forum: Students and the Future of AI.
Educators, business leaders, nonprofit partners, parents, and community members gathered for a conversation that felt both timely and deeply human, the kind of cross-sector dialogue United to Learn intentionally creates to help schools and communities navigate the future together. The energy throughout the morning reflected both the opportunity and complexity of the topic. Conversations continued between sessions, table discussions shared unique perspectives, and audience questions explored everything from workforce readiness and student well-being to ethics, environmental concerns, digital literacy, and the role adults play in modeling healthy technology use.
Together, keynote speaker Kerri Briggs, PhD, Executive Director of Educate Texas; moderator Gillea Allison, President of D Magazine; panelists Angie Gaylord, Dallas ISD Chief Academic Officer, and Devon Lang, President, North Texas Region at Truist; and United to Learn CEO Tim Hise helped frame a conversation centered on one essential question:
How do we prepare students for a future shaped by AI while continuing to prioritize the skills that help young people thrive?
AI Is Moving Faster Than Past Transformative Innovations
In her keynote, Kerri Briggs helped frame the scale and speed of change surrounding artificial intelligence in education and society.
One statistic especially captured the pace of disruption: ChatGPT reached 100 million users in just five weeks, a level of adoption that took the internet four years to achieve.
At the same time, Briggs emphasized that rapid adoption should not be confused with full understanding.
Research on the use of generative AI in K–12 education is still evolving, particularly regarding its long-term impacts on learning, critical thinking, and student well-being. She drew an important distinction between AI-powered adaptive learning tools, which can strengthen student learning by responding to individual needs in real time, and generative AI tools, which can sometimes shortcut the productive struggle students need to build confidence, resilience, and deeper understanding.
That distinction became an important thread throughout the morning.
The conversation repeatedly returned to competencies over tools: communication, critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, problem-solving, and adaptability.
The technology will continue to evolve. The human skills students need to thrive remain remarkably consistent.
Dallas ISD’s Approach: Building a Thoughtful AI Framework
One of the clearest takeaways from the morning was that Dallas ISD is positioning itself as a leading example of how large public school systems can approach AI thoughtfully, responsibly, and with students at the center.
District leaders shared that the work has been evolving for more than three years through intentional planning, educator training, and clear academic guardrails. Today, all librarians, principals, and teachers across Dallas ISD receive AI-related training, supported by campus-based AI champions who help staff navigate new tools responsibly.
That level of systemwide coordination is helping Dallas ISD position itself on the leading edge of responsible AI integration in public education. The district is poised to become a national model, not because of rapid adoption alone, but because of its emphasis on thoughtful implementation, educator support, and student well-being.
District leaders also emphasized the importance of transparency and shared learning. Dallas ISD has made portions of its AI guidance, training resources, implementation playbooks, and instructional frameworks publicly available online to help support responsible AI use across schools and classrooms.
Speakers also acknowledged that many districts across Texas do not have the same level of technical infrastructure or staffing expertise as large urban systems. Organizations like Educate Texas are helping smaller districts navigate AI thoughtfully by connecting leaders, sharing best practices, and supporting schools as they build policies and frameworks that prioritize both innovation and student well-being.
Innovation with Guardrails
At the same time, the district maintains strong controls around student technology use, particularly for younger learners. Companion AI platforms are blocked on district networks. Student devices are monitored. Elementary implementation is highly regulated. Middle school access remains cautious. High school students have more structured opportunities to engage with approved tools alongside instruction around digital literacy, responsible use, and critical thinking.
District leaders emphasized that this is not about unrestricted access to technology. It is about preparing students thoughtfully for a rapidly changing future while keeping student well-being at the center.
One particularly striking example highlighted how quickly expectations are shifting: just four years ago, some universities prohibited the use of AI entirely. Today, some college courses require students to cite and evaluate AI-generated sources as part of their academic work.
The tools are evolving quickly. The need for discernment is growing just as fast.
Technology Should Strengthen Thinking, Not Replace It
Throughout the morning, speakers returned to an important distinction: AI can support learning, but it cannot replace the developmental experiences students need to become capable, healthy adults.
Several panelists described AI not as an all-knowing authority but rather as a time-saving assistant capable of generating ideas quickly yet still requiring human judgment, oversight, and critical thinking.
In many ways, the conversation framed AI more like an intern than an autopilot system: helpful, fast, and capable of supporting work, but still dependent on human direction, discernment, and accountability.
That distinction matters in education.
Students still need opportunities to read deeply, wrestle with ideas, communicate clearly, collaborate with peers, and work through productive struggle. The concern raised throughout the morning was not that students would use technology, but that they might begin outsourcing too much of the thinking process itself.
Several speakers also emphasized that helping students challenge and evaluate AI-generated information may become just as important as teaching them how to use the tools.
What Problems Do You Want to Solve?
One of the most memorable moments from the morning centered on a simple shift in how adults talk to students about the future.
Instead of asking children, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” panelists encouraged adults to ask:
What problems do you want to solve?
That framing changes the conversation entirely.
It encourages students to think beyond job titles and toward purpose, curiosity, creativity, and impact, and to think critically about which tools might help them solve those problems responsibly.
Technology becomes a resource, not an identity.
Human Skills May Matter Even More in an AI Future
From the workforce perspective, Devon Lang shared how industries like banking are already integrating AI into daily operations.
Several panelists noted that AI literacy may soon become as foundational as financial literacy or digital literacy.
Lang emphasized that rather than replacing people, many organizations are using AI to automate repetitive tasks so employees can focus more deeply on advising clients, building relationships, solving complex problems, and exercising sound judgment.
He also reflected on how the workforce itself is shifting. Many entry-level roles have historically focused heavily on task-based work. As AI accelerates automation, employers may place even greater value on skills that are harder to replicate through technology: communication, emotional intelligence, adaptability, discernment, and the ability to build trust with other people.
That shift may actually increase the importance of uniquely human skills.
Communication. Emotional intelligence. Judgment. Adaptability. Relationship-building.
As more task-oriented work becomes automated, the workforce is becoming increasingly relationship-driven. Technical fluency matters, but so does the ability to collaborate, think critically, communicate clearly, and connect meaningfully with others.
Ethical Questions Matter, Too
The forum also explored the ethical questions surrounding AI adoption, particularly for young people.
Audience members raised thoughtful concerns around:
- data privacy and transparency
- fairness in academic settings
- healthy technology boundaries
- equity in access
- environmental impacts tied to growing AI infrastructure
Rather than avoiding those tensions, speakers encouraged communities to engage them directly.
One audience member raised concerns about how the expansion of AI systems and data centers may affect the environment. The conversation shifted toward a broader question students may increasingly need to ask themselves:
How can technology be used not only efficiently, but responsibly?
That includes thinking critically about how to use tools to benefit people, communities, and the planet itself.
A Human-Development Conversation, Not Just a Technology Conversation
Perhaps the strongest throughline of the morning was that this is not simply a conversation about devices, software, or innovation.
It is a conversation about human development.
Again and again, speakers returned to the importance of belonging, confidence, communication, healthy relationships, and independent thinking. Students still need opportunities to read deeply, wrestle with ideas, collaborate with peers, and develop a strong sense of identity and purpose.
AI may accelerate many parts of life, but it cannot replace the experiences that help young people grow into thoughtful, resilient humans.
That work still belongs to families, educators, mentors, and communities.
Actionable Takeaways
For Parents
- Ask children about the AI tools they use and the kinds of questions they ask them.
- Talk openly about when AI is helpful and the importance of critical thinking when using it.
- Encourage balance between screen time and real-world experiences.
For Educators
- Use AI to reduce repetitive administrative workload where appropriate.
- Continue prioritizing writing, discussion, collaboration, and problem-solving.
- Teach students how to question information, verify sources, and critically evaluate outputs.
For Business and Community Leaders
- Model thoughtful and ethical AI use within organizations.
- Continue investing in human-centered workforce skills.
- Partner with schools to help students connect technology with purpose and problem-solving.
- Workforce readiness includes communication and emotional intelligence, not just technical fluency.
Looking Ahead
One thing felt especially clear by the end of the morning:
The goal is not simply to prepare students for a world with AI.
The goal is to help students remain deeply human in a world increasingly shaped by it.
That work will continue to evolve. Policies will change. Technology will advance. New tools will emerge faster than most systems can fully predict.
But the conversation at the Women’s Forum offered a hopeful reminder: schools, families, businesses, and communities do not have to navigate these questions alone.
Across Texas, educators and community leaders are actively building frameworks, sharing resources, and learning together in real time while keeping student growth, human connection, and thoughtful learning at the center.