Tuberville Leads HELP Subcommittee Hearing on AI in K-12 Education

"Our job isn't to chase every new trend. Our job is to figure out what works, what doesn't, and what's best for students, parents, and teachers."

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) chaired a HELP Education & the American Family Subcommittee hearing on "The Future of K-12 Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence." During the hearing, Sen. Tuberville spoke about how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can best be utilized in the classroom. Witnesses included QuantHub CEO Joshua Jones of Birmingham.

Excerpts from Sen. Tuberville's statement can be found below or viewed on YouTube or Rumble.

OPENING STATEMENT

TUBERVILLE: "Before coming to the Senate, I spent decades working with young people as a teacher, a coach, and mentor in classrooms, locker rooms, and communities where the goal was always the same: help students reach their potential and prepare for the future. That's why today's hearing is so important. Artificial intelligence is changing the world our kids are growing up in, and whether you like it or not, AI is going to be part of their education, their careers, and their daily lives. The question isn't whether it's coming. AI is here. The real question is whether we're going to help students use it the right way. As a coach, I always told my players that talent is important, but you have to have skin in the game. The same is true in education. Technology can be a valuable tool, but it will never replace a great teacher, a strong mentor, or the hard work that learning requires. AI has the potential to help students learn at their own pace, give teachers more time to focus on teaching, and open doors for students who may need extra support. Those are opportunities we should take very very seriously. But we also need to be honest about the challenges. How do we protect students' privacy? How do we make sure AI is giving accurate information? How do we prevent students from becoming dependent on technology instead of developing critical thinking skills? How do we ensure that rural America isn't left behind? Most importantly, how do we make sure AI strengthens education instead of weakening it? Our job isn't to chase every new trend. Our job is to figure out what works, what doesn't work, and what's best for students, parents, and teachers. The students sitting in classrooms today will enter a workforce that looks very different from the one many of us grew up in. We have a responsibility to make sure they're prepared-not just to use AI, but to compete, innovate, and lead in a world where AI will be everywhere. Two weeks ago, my Ranking Member and I led a letter to the Government Accountability Office asking them to begin an investigation into the effects of AI on K-12 education. I'm proud to report that they have responded and plan to start work on that study very soon. Today, I look forward to hearing from our witnesses about how we can encourage innovation while protecting students and preserving the values that make education successful in the first place. So, thank you to our witnesses for being here today. I look forward to your testimony."

Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans' Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.

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