It's the latest buzz in the tech world and a major driver of job growth. Students who don't learn to use it risk falling behind, and to help them catch up, its creators are offering free resources and curriculum. This approach, where major tech companies provide educational materials, has been used for years, especially in the field of coding. Educators quickly adopted tech-based coding programs, but when it comes to AI, there seems to be more hesitation and scrutiny. According to a new book by New York Times education technology reporter Natasha Singer, titled Coding Kids, tech companies have played a central role in promoting computer science education for over 15 years. These companies have promised that learning computer skills would lead to high-paying jobs. However, when many of these students entered the workforce, they found that the job market had changed, and the promises didn't always hold up. Meanwhile, the tech companies had already shaped a new generation of potential workers, training students to use their products and software, which made them likely future customers. Singer highlights that the current push by the AI industry to schools resembles past efforts by tech companies. She worries that the public has forgotten the lessons from previous tech cycles in education. “I worry we have collective amnesia,” she said in a recent interview. “Have we learned any lessons from these past tech cycles in schools that are going to inform the rollout of AI, make sure that it benefits education, and put in the safeguards now — not a decade from now?” Despite these concerns, Singer believes there are signs of progress. She notes that tech companies have embedded themselves deeply into school curricula. For instance, Apple and Microsoft created their own courses for Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles, using their own tools like Swift and Minecraft. Google, through its Chromebooks and Classroom app, has also become a major force in education, especially during the pandemic when schools shifted online. While tech companies have influenced education directly, they've also supported nonprofit groups like Code.org, which launched a viral campaign with celebrity endorsements, including Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg. This campaign led to the "Hour of Code" initiative, which introduced coding to students across the country. However, not everyone was on board with this approach. Some educators and researchers advocated for a more traditional, methodological approach to teaching computer science, aiming to diversify student participation and encourage critical thinking about technology. Today, there's growing resistance to the heavy influence of technology in schools. Some recent graduates feel let down after being told to code their entire lives, only to find entry-level tech jobs are not as abundant as promised. Some schools are even replacing Google Chromebooks, and research suggests that adding technology to classrooms may not significantly improve learning outcomes. Parents, in particular, want more from education than just teaching kids to use technology; they want them to become informed citizens, discover their passions, and understand their beliefs. While the AI industry is following a similar playbook to the 2010s, there's a noticeable shift. Parents and school districts are now pushing back. Recently, New York City banned the use of AI in elementary and middle schools, and Los Angeles extended this ban to high schools. Unlike the limited criticism in the early days of tech education, there's now a strong grassroots movement among parents and teachers resisting the overuse of screens and AI in classrooms. Singer is optimistic that schools are beginning to recognize the need for a more balanced approach to tech education, one that teaches students to think critically about technology's role in their lives and how to use it responsibly.