Principal Weekly Update 12 | AI and the Future of Education

Hello everyone,

This week I want to talk about something that’s been on many people’s minds for a while —Artificial Intelligence, or AI.

Whether it’s Chat GPT, Deepseek, Doudou, chatbots, translation tools, or other automated systems, AI is already changing the way we live and work. And yes—it’s also starting to impact education.

Right now, many of the school systems around the world are still based on memorising content and preparing for exams. But with AI able to access and analyse more information than any human can store, we’re beginning to ask a different question—not just “What do we know?”, but “What can we do with what we know?”

That’s where the IB is already ahead. The PYP focuses on developing the human skills that will become even more essential in an AI-supported world: Critical thinking, creativity, communication, social skills, ethical reasoning, and global understanding. These are the abilities that AI can’t replicate, or not at the moment anyway —and they’re exactly what our curriculum encourages every day.

At the same time, we’re continuing to give your children a solid foundation in literacy and numeracy, because those basic skills will always be important—especially when paired with innovation, inquiry, and action. We’re also committed to developing a strong understanding of science and how the world works, so that students can apply their learning to real-world issues—from environmental sustainability to global health and technology. These are not abstract topics—they’re part of the world our children are growing up in, and they need to be equipped to engage with them thoughtfully and confidently.

Rather than fearing the changes ahead, we see AI as an opportunity—a leap forward for learning. And here at Concordia International School Ningbo, we’re committed to making sure your child is not just prepared for the future—they are ready to thrive in it.

The future really is exciting. And your child will be equipped to succeed.

See you next week!