AI and Education: Preserving Human Agency in the Digital Era

As the world embraces the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI), its integration into education has sparked dynamic discussions about its impact on learners, educators, and the essence of learning itself. For Jesuit Worldwide Learning (JWL), the central question has been clear: How can AI support genuine growth and critical thinking while preserving human agency?

This question resonates deeply with Dr Marina Tsoi, Lead Faculty of JWL's Learning Facilitator and Educational Innovation and Leadership programmes, at the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt (KU), who has closely examined the implications of AI for education.

“Authentic learning occurs when students engage critically with content, reflect on broader social implications, and develop the capacity to inquire and innovate on their own terms,” says Marina, reflecting on this year’s Education Day theme (AI and education: Preserving human agency in a world of automation). “If used without care, [it] risks reducing students to passive consumers rather than active co-creators of knowledge.”

Marina draws some reflections from Paulo Freire’s seminal work Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Freire’s dialogical model of teaching emphasises education as a humanizing process, where students and educators engage collaboratively to foster agency and critical consciousness. “Any approach that substitutes AI-produced answers for the reflective process risks undermining students’ development as agents of change,” warns Marina.

With education serving as a cornerstone for sustainable development, JWL recognises that the ethical and thoughtful integration of AI is crucial for shaping inclusive and transformative learning experiences.

Marina further notes that “using AI effectively requires us to go beyond automation. It means establishing ethical guidelines, designing activities that encourage students to question the data and algorithms they encounter, and ensuring transparency about AI-generated suggestions. This helps learners remain aware that their own discernment matters deeply.”

Through an essay competition exploring AI’s role in education, JWL and participating students identified a critical challenge: while AI tools can enhance efficiency, they often fall short of reflecting the authentic voices and lived experiences of learners. Students observed that these tools lack the nuance and depth that emerge from genuine human reflection.

Yet, as Marina highlights, AI has the potential to complement – not replace – human engagement. “AI can improve efficiency in assessing student work and providing immediate feedback,” she says, “but preserving human agency means keeping the educator’s and learner’s judgment and interpersonal connection at the core of all practices.”

JWL envisions AI as a tool for empowerment, fostering creativity, critical thinking, and moral responsibility. By embedding reflective activities, questioning the outputs of AI, and prioritising interpersonal connection, the organisation seeks to ensure that education remains deeply rooted in human interaction and ethical reflection.

As Education Day reminds us of the transformative power of learning, JWL reiterates its commitment to ensuring that technology complements rather than defines the educational experience. Inspired by Freire’s vision and Marina’s thoughtful insights, JWL continues to explore innovative ways to empower students as agents of change - nurturing their capacity to think critically, act ethically, and contribute meaningfully to their communities and the world.