Three members of the Moses Brown community—History teacher Jon Gold, sophomore Greta H., and junior David I.—recently traveled to Houston, Texas, to participate in concurrent national conferences focused on the future of Artificial Intelligence.

While Gold attended the NAIS Symposium on AI and the Future of Learning, Greta and David joined the Close Up NextGen Roundtable "From Classrooms to Careers: How AI is Shaping Our Paths,” a unique track designed to engage high school students in critical deliberations. Rather than simply learning how to use new tools, the group focused on a more profound question: how to lead ethically in a rapidly changing world.

Tools, Not Crutches
For the students, the experience underscored the need for personal responsibility. Greta H. returned with a renewed perspective on academic integrity, noting that the solution lies in self-education.

"I took away from this experience that in order to use AI in a healthy and safe way, we must educate ourselves," Greta reflected. "I feel strongly that we all need to focus on how to use AI as a tool rather than a crutch to get out of challenging and complex work."

The Power of Mentorship 
A major takeaway for both students was that AI should not replace human connection; instead, it should deepen the need for faculty-student collaboration. David I. noted that while AI is a permanent fixture, the community has the power to decide how to interact with it.

"I have come to the conclusion that we cannot try to change AI, but we can change how we respond to AI," David said. He emphasized that the path forward requires curriculum reform that prioritizes "increased time for student-teacher relationship... and strong boundaries between right and wrong AI usage."
Greta echoed this desire for mentorship, hoping to spark "conversations between students and faculty" at MB to reach conclusions that "support our values as a Quaker School."

Context and Culture 
These student insights aligned closely with those Jon Gold shared from the faculty symposium, focused on how AI is transforming the way independent schools teach, learn, and lead.

"It was a fascinating conference because there is a wide range of ways schools have responded to AI,” Jon said. "I came away... more confident in MB’s thoughtful, collaborative approach grounded in our school values.”

He highlighted research from speakers Jenny Anderson and Rebecca Winthrop, which stressed the importance of understanding the "school culture and the larger zeitgeist" surrounding technology. "Their research on student modes of learning is fascinating and important for educators as we look to support our students in navigating the messy technological landscape," Gold noted.

The experiences of Greta, David, and Jon affirm Moses Brown's commitment to engaging thoughtfully and proactively with the future of technology, ensuring our practices remain grounded in ethical inquiry and student well-being. By participating in these high-level discussions, they have brought back more than just technical knowledge and have returned with a shared roadmap for integrating innovation with integrity.