WASNJ|In the Age of AI, What Kind of Education Gives Children an Irreplaceable Future?
Editor’s Note:
As artificial intelligence continues to disrupt industries across the globe, the central question of education is also evolving: how can we cultivate irreplaceable children amid rapid technological change?
Drawing on his extensive experience in teaching and leadership at leading British boarding schools, and informed by in-depth research into artificial intelligence and character education, Mr Matthew Jamieson, Executive Headmaster of WAS Nanjing, offers a systematic and thought-provoking response. Framed around three core pillars — moral and emotional development, global fluency, and academic excellence — his reflections outline an educational pathway suited to the AI era, while revealing the deeper significance of holistic education.
Parents who wish to engage with a school leader combining international vision with practical educational insight are warmly invited to attend our Whole School Open Day on Saturday, 31 January. We look forward to welcoming you to campus to explore WAS Nanjing’s boarding environment, curriculum structure and educational philosophy, and to engage in meaningful conversations about your child’s personalised learning journey.
Below is the edited speech by Headmaster Matthew Jamieson at a recent education forum
In a future where artificial intelligence and globalisation are increasingly intertwined, the children who will truly stand out will not be those who attempt to surpass machines in capability, but those who understand how to guide and harness them.
To achieve this, young people must develop three essential qualities:
- Strong moral and emotional capacity, including empathy, integrity and resilience;
- Advanced global fluency, enabling them to communicate and collaborate across cultures;
- Deep academic foundations, centred on independent thinking rather than mechanical memorisation.
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