I came across something recently that really stuck with me—an article in Scientific American that compared today’s concerns about AI in schools to the introduction of calculators in the classroom.

Back then, when calculators first became cheap and accessible, there was panic:

🔹 “Kids won’t learn how to do math!”

🔹 “What happens when the battery dies?”

🔹 “We’re just teaching them to push buttons.”

Sound familiar?

Today, we’re hearing almost identical arguments about AI:

➤ “It’ll make students lazy.”

➤ “They’re just using it to cheat on papers.”

➤ “We need tools to detect whether ChatGPT wrote this.”

But just like calculators didn’t kill math skills, AI won’t kill critical thinking—unless we force it to.

The Calculator Didn’t Replace Math—It Advanced It

What actually happened with calculators is that math education evolved.

Instead of being limited to rote calculations, students could now solve more complex problems.

They could visualize math with graphing calculators.

They could do more, faster, and better—especially those who were visual learners or needed alternative modes of understanding.

The Same Can—and Should—Happen with AI

AI can:

✅ Translate content into a student’s native language

✅ Simplify complex ideas for better comprehension

✅ Generate diagrams, timelines, and visuals on the fly

✅ Cater to different learning styles—especially for visual learners like me

Rather than fearing misuse, we should be asking:

How can we evolve our education system to leverage this tool to deepen learning and make it more accessible?

One practical approach? Bring more “homework” into the classroom. Let’s give students opportunities to use these tools under guidance—just like we eventually allowed calculators in class.

This isn’t about handing the reins over to a machine. It’s about preparing kids for a world where AI is a tool—not a threat.

P.S. Whenever you’re ready... here are 4 ways I can help you optimize and grow your business:

Grab a copy of my books

• Less Doing, More Living: It’s the roadmap to optimizing your life and business. — Click Here
• On Productivity: Learn the strategies to become more productive and efficient. — Click Here

Join the Less Doing Lab

• Connect with like-minded individuals and get access to my weekly Voxer broadcasts where I share the latest tips, experiences, and stories for just $100 per year. — Join Now

Take my Courses

• Overwhelmology: Learn how to manage overwhelm and increase productivity. — Enroll Here
• The Replaceable Founder: Discover how to build a business that thrives without you. — Enroll Here

Work with me and my team privately

• If you’d like personalized guidance to take your business to the next level, join the Outliers, my 1:1 coaching program delivered exclusively on Voxer. Just reply to this email with the word “Private,” tell me a little about your business and what you’d like to work on together, and I’ll get you all the details.