AFT President Randi Weingarten delivers a speech at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. on May 27. During the speech, the union president spoke about the importance of schools fostering human connections in an age of artificial intelligence. She unveiled a 10-point plan that addresses concerns around AI and technology in schools. Credit: AFT
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May 29, 2026
AFT President Randi Weingarten unveils a 10-point plan for AI in schools, emphasizing active learning, student well-being and human connection: Devices down, eyes up, hands-on.
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By Alvin Buyinza
As the nation’s classrooms are quickly being shaped by artificial intelligence and screens, schools need to focus more on human connection, critical thinking, collaboration and hands-on learning. That was the main message behind AFT President Randi Weingarten’s landmark speech to educators, parents and community members at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., May 27.
A focal point of the speech was the AFT’s 10-point plan to address the growing national concern around tech and artificial intelligence in the classroom. The plan—which aims to boost student learning and academic success in the AI era—is built on Weingarten’s “devices-down, eyes-up, hands-on” strategy, a teaching framework that emphasizes active learning and collaborative problem solving amid the technological shifts that have changed the K-12 landscape.
Addressing the need to reconsider the role of tech in the classroom, Weingarten said, “I’m not calling for an AI ban or a Chromebook bonfire. What I am calling for is getting the balance right to harness the benefits of technology while mitigating the harms. I’m wary of the dangers of AI, but it is here to stay.” She added that without proper oversight and strong guardrails, the new technology can pose real threats to students' learning and our society.
The importance of guardrails—and to refocus on meeting students' academic, social and emotional needs—forms the heart of her 10-point plan:
Weingarten argued schools need to focus on helping students develop and apply knowledge and foster human connections in an age where AI is becoming the go-to for too many students.
About 54 percent of teenagers across the country are turning to AI to help them with their homework, according to a Pew Research Center study. It’s a figure that underscores how reliant students have become on the emerging technology.
Weingarten argued schools need to focus on helping students develop and apply knowledge and foster human connections in an age where AI is becoming the go-to for too many students.
Joshua Cowen, a professor of education policy at Michigan State University, said that AI’s role in education will continue to develop over time, namely as a research tool. “If you can help [students] find a way to use AI for fact-finding for research, with the proper guardrails there for interacting with the kinds of content they would get online, there’s some positive things they can get from that,” he said.
But as the use of AI rises in schools, so do the concerns.
A study from the Brookings Institution found that the risks AI poses greatly outweigh the benefits. It’s easy for students to become too dependent on AI and “offload” their critical thinking to a chatbot—a concern Weingarten raised as well. Students who frequently use large language models like ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini to generate information or solve problems may weaken their cognitive development.
Sari Beth Rosenberg, a longtime U.S. history teacher at the High School for Environmental Studies in New York City, said she sees more of her students using AI. She has no problem with them using AI technology to do research, but using it to do their work for them is crossing the line.
“The issue is that kids will always find ways to cut corners and cheat,” she said. “There are a lot of responsibilities on their plates as students—they have sports and jobs, and they want to do well in school. But the problem is that if they just rely on AI, then they’re never actually going to prepare themselves for the job force and their lives outside of school.”
Lawmakers across the political aisle have taken note of AI’s harmful effects too. This year, legislators in more than 30 states proposed over 130 bills focused on implementing more human oversight of AI in schools. In addition, at least 38 states have put forth policies to restrict or ban cellphones in classrooms, according to EdWeek.
“We need a relentless, intentional focus on what our young people need: greater literacy, numeracy and civic engagement, and active learning that excites and engages them—all while ensuring their social and mental well-being and ability to form healthy relationships. Devices down, eyes up, hands-on,” Weingarten said.
Join this bold new initiative that puts AFT educators and union members at the center of artificial intelligence in public education and labor.
Join the team from the AI Educator Brain, which includes AFT’s Share My Lesson director Kelly Booz; New York City Public Schools teacher Sari Beth Rosenberg and EdBrAIn, our AI teammate (yes, it named and designed itself!). In this community, we will dissect the pros and cons of AI tools in education. Our mission: to determine how AI can support teaching and learning, and when it might be best to stick with tried-and-true methods.
