To the Editor:
In the article “Rising Use of AI in Schools Comes With Big Downsides for Students” (Oct. 8, 2025), the authors seem to suggest that the problems caused by AI in schools could easily be solved by providing teachers with professional training on how to use AI properly.
I will admit that this idea sounds tempting. The training would make teachers more efficient at using AI themselves, speeding up their workflow. Additionally, they could then also teach their students how to operate AI tools. A clean solution to the issues raised by the authors.
Unfortunately, however, there is a fly in the ointment. As stated in the article, existing training for teachers is of poor quality. Moreover, these training sessions are frequently organized by the tech companies themselves, which raises the question whether they just use them as opportunities to promote their products.
What teachers need instead are large numbers of noncommercial AI experts who frequently offer training at every school. However, these independent experts do not exist yet.
In my opinion, being an independent AI expert needs to be established as its own profession going forward, so we actually have workers who can reliably prepare teachers for a future with AI.
Philipp Kann
Secondary School Teacher
Wiesbaden, Germany
