Classroom AI: Who Should It Serve First—Teachers or Students?

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming nearly every sector, and education is no exception. As AI capabilities evolve, tech giants like OpenAI, Google, and Meta have increasingly showcased education as a core use case in product rollouts. But the tools being created often split along a critical divide: are they meant for teachers, or for students? With AI adoption surging in schools and districts across the U.S., the question of who classroom AI is really serving is more relevant than ever.

So, what’s the better path forward: should AI primarily empower teachers, or should it be placed directly into the hands of students?

In this episode of The Future of Education, co-hosts Michael Horn and Diane Tavenner kick off a new series of exploratory conversations on artificial intelligence. They lay out their own evolving perspectives—“AI priors”—and begin unpacking the tensions at the heart of how AI is being integrated into schools.

• Michael explores the practical reasons why many AI tools today are designed for teachers, from safety concerns to market dynamics.

• Diane believes that student-facing AI better aligns with the future of learning, and warns that a teacher-first approach risks repeating outdated models.

• Together, they reflect on how AI might finally help students take ownership of their learning, if systems are willing to adapt.

• The divide between teacher-facing and student-facing classroom AI reflects deeper questions about the purpose of school and whether we’re willing to reimagine it for a more student-driven future.

Michael B. Horn is an education strategist, author, and co-founder of the Clayton Christensen Institute, where he pioneered work on disruptive innovation in learning. He has authored several influential books, including Disrupting Class and From Reopen to Reinvent, and currently teaches at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Horn also advises a range of education organizations and serves as a podcast co-host, speaker, and regular contributor to outlets like Forbes and Education Next.

Diane Tavenner is the co-founder and CEO of Futre.me, a platform guiding young people toward purposeful careers, and the founding CEO of Summit Public Schools, a nationally recognized network of innovative public schools. She is a leading voice in education, authoring the book Prepared: What Kids Need for a Fulfilled Life and co-hosting the podcast Class Disrupted. Diane serves as board chair for the Carnegie Foundation, Minerva University, and the Pahara Institute, and brings deep expertise in school design, education policy, and youth development.