Student speaker Alana Laforest delivered a speech about viewing AI as a continuation of innovation. A junior at Boston Latin Academy and captain of her debate team, she spoke about AI as an extension of human innovation rather than a sudden disruption. She referenced historical advancements, such as the introduction of the calculator, as a perfect example of something that initially raised concerns but ultimately transformed learning for the better.

To illustrate the evolution of technology, Dr.  Kimberly Lucas, Professor of the Practice in Public Policy and Economic Justice at Northeastern University, opened with a cellphone “time capsule” demonstration—impressing upon the room how quickly the world’s embraced certain things as an essential part of life (such as GPS), despite their being relatively “new” creations. Since its inception, tech’s main purpose has been to create products that become so integrated into our lives that we forget what our day-to-day looked like before they existed. Dr. Lucas likened it to our collective need for air or water: “we need it but we don’t necessarily notice how reliant we are on it.” This shapes the way societies function. AI will likely follow the same path, integrating into educational systems in ways that feel natural—slowly, and then all at once.