Across America, education is undergoing a transformation at a pace that few could have anticipated just a decade ago. Artificial intelligence is being employed to train machines to teach our children, with school systems embedding gender ideology and political agendas into their curricula with minimal regard for parental input. This shift has raised urgent concerns about the preservation of the soul of education, which requires balancing technological advancement with the moral core of learning.
The recent announcement by Microsoft, OpenAI, and Anthropic of an AI-powered ‘teacher training academy’ highlights the growing role of AI in education. While this initiative may seem innovative or even beneficial at first glance, it raises critical questions about the purpose of education itself. Education is not merely about conveying information; it is about shaping lives, forming character, and preparing students to serve their communities with integrity. These aspects of education cannot be replicated by machines, as they require relationships, mentorship, and the presence of human educators.
At Southeastern University, we are not anti-technology. We are actively exploring ethical ways to use AI to serve students and improve access to learning. However, we establish a clear boundary: AI can assist educators but must never replace them. No machine, regardless of its sophistication, can love a student, model virtue, or guide a young adult toward a life of purpose. We believe that every student is made in the image of God, and that shaping a soul requires more than a circuit board.
The deeper danger in this technological shift is not merely logistical but philosophical. By entrusting the role of teaching to algorithms, we also entrust them with the power to determine what is taught, how it is taught, and what values are emphasized. In an era where AI is already reflecting and amplifying ideological bias, this should be a cause for deep concern for every parent and educator in America. The question is, are we prepared to let unelected tech companies with their own worldviews and profit motives determine how future generations learn, think, and believe?
This is about more than machines; it is about the mission of education itself. We must reclaim education as a deeply human and moral enterprise, elevate teachers, and ensure that classrooms remain spaces where students are not only informed but transformed. We must prepare them not just for careers but for a calling. Now is the time for Christian colleges and universities to lead boldly, protecting the relational core of learning, modeling truth-seeking without compromise, and reminding our nation that the formation of a soul cannot be outsourced.