Journalist Calls Out 'Collective Amnesia' of Schools' Romance With Big Tech Over AI
"Turns out, Silicon Valley isn't especially altruistic," writes the nonprofit education news site The 74. They're reading a new book promising "the inside story of how Big Tech catalyzed, co-opted, and ultimately came to capture computer science and AI education in America". Written by New York Times business reporter Natasha Singer, Coding Kids: Big Tech's Battle to Remake Public Schools tells…
A new book titled Coding Kids: Big Tech's Battle to Remake Public Schools, authored by New York Times business reporter Natasha Singer, delves into the intricate relationship between Big Tech and computer science and AI education in America. The 74, a nonprofit education news site, highlights the book's exploration of the nonprofit Code.org and its influential leader, Hadi Partovi.
Initially, Partovi warned that children who didn't learn to code would fall behind, with the U.S. economy's long-term success hinging on equipping students with the necessary technical skills.
Fast forward to 2026, and the conversation has shifted to AI. While there is increased skepticism towards tech giants, some parents are pushing back against tech access in schools. Yet, at the same time, school districts across the nation are partnering with AI technology providers like Microsoft, OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google, seemingly undeterred by the past cycles of tech-driven education promises.
The author notes a concerning sense of collective amnesia, questioning whether we should reevaluate the push for AI in schools based on lessons learned from previous technological waves.
Written by urgent.news from Slashdot's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
