Let me be blunt—if you’re still clutching your pearls over artificial intelligence, it’s time to let go. AI isn’t the death of education. It’s its rebirth.
I go to MIT. I spend my days surrounded by some of the brightest, most ambitious minds on the planet. And let me tell you, even among these brilliant people, we’re not all wired the same. Some of the smartest students I know struggle with dyslexia, ADHD, or other learning differences that make traditional academic structures unnecessarily brutal. These are kids who could write the next great novel, design the next Mars rover, or create a better voting system—if only the system didn’t trip them up on syntax, spelling, or MLA formatting.
This is where AI steps in. No, I’m not talking about cheating. I’m not suggesting that ChatGPT or any other AI tool should write your term paper for you. I’m talking about augmenting the student’s abilities. Think grammar checks, clarity suggestions, or on-the-fly fact verification. For the dyslexic student who knows exactly what they want to say but can’t get it past the grammar police? AI gives them their voice—unedited, but polished.
AI can do for students what the internet did for learning back in the early 2000s. And you know what? Some of the loudest critics of AI in the classroom today were the same ones railing against the internet back then.
Remember when educators warned that the internet would make students “lazy” and “uninformed”? Turned out it made them smarter—especially in places where education was one-sided. If you grew up in a public school system like Baltimore County’s, you might’ve heard just one view on Roe v. Wade or the Second Amendment. But thanks to the internet, students could access articles, essays, podcasts, and court opinions that offered different perspectives. You didn’t have to be force-fed one narrative. You could compare, contrast, and form your own opinion.
AI is that—on steroids.
Let’s talk real-world examples. My mom is a brilliant attorney. Top of her class. Can cross-examine like a boss. But ask her to bake a cake from scratch? We’re in “smoke alarm goes off” territory. (Sorry, Mom.) But with AI, she just asks, “How do I bake a cake using almond flour and honey instead of sugar?” And BAM—recipe, step-by-step, modifications, temperature conversions—all tailored to her pantry and dietary needs. And the result? Tastes just like Grandma McConnell’s cake. Actually, maybe better. (Don’t tell Grandma.)
That’s the power of AI. It democratizes knowledge. You don’t have to be an expert—you just have to be curious. AI becomes the world’s best tutor, sous-chef, writing coach, and research assistant, all rolled into one.
Think about the greatest minds in history. Albert Einstein was dyslexic. Hemingway? Known more for his storytelling genius than grammatical perfection. Thomas Edison was homeschooled because traditional classrooms didn’t work for him. Imagine what these people could’ve done with a tool that could check their spelling, organize their notes, or summarize background theory in seconds.
Here’s a short list of famous thinkers and writers who absolutely could’ve used AI:
- Albert Einstein – Dyslexic and scattered, yet brilliant. AI would’ve helped him organize and communicate his ideas.
- Ernest Hemingway – Had issues with grammar and often relied heavily on editors. AI could’ve saved him hours.
- Agatha Christie – Struggled with dyslexia but became one of the world’s best-selling authors.
- Thomas Edison – Limited formal education but full of ideas. AI could’ve helped him develop and document his inventions.
- Winston Churchill – Great speaker, yes, but famously bad at spelling.
- Leonardo da Vinci – Wrote backward in code and jumped between ideas. AI could’ve helped him map out his genius.
AI is not here to replace teachers or dumb down education. It’s here to elevate it. It’s a personalized tutor for every student, available 24/7. It helps kids who think differently succeed differently. It doesn’t just cater to the traditional A+ essay writer—it levels the playing field for the kid who has brilliant ideas but struggles with grammar, or the kid who asks questions that go beyond what’s in the textbook.
So let’s stop acting like AI is some doomsday machine. It’s not the end of critical thinking—it’s the beginning of a smarter, more accessible, more individualized era of learning.
The goal of education isn’t to churn out carbon copies who parrot back what their teacher said—it’s to build thinkers. AI, when used right, doesn’t just support that mission. It supercharges it.
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Endnotes
- Shaywitz, Sally. Overcoming Dyslexia: A New and Complete Science-Based Program for Reading Problems at Any Level. Vintage, 2005.
– Details how dyslexic students benefit from assistive technology. - Wolf, Maryanne. Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain. Harper, 2008.
– Discusses how the reading brain differs and how tools can bridge learning gaps. - “The Effects of Internet Use on Academic Achievement.” Educational Psychology Review, vol. 29, no. 4, 2017, pp. 625–645.
– Study showing that internet access led to more informed, independent student research. - U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology. Reimagining the Role of Technology in Education: 2017 National Education Technology Plan Update.
– Government report highlighting the transformational role of internet access in public education. - “Famous Dyslexic People.” Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity. https://dyslexia.yale.edu/dyslexic-faq/famous-dyslexics/
– Lists Albert Einstein, Agatha Christie, and others as individuals with dyslexia who achieved greatness. - Baker, Nicholson. U and I: A True Story. Random House, 1991.
– Contains insight into Hemingway’s dependence on editors for structure and grammar. - Isaacson, Walter. Einstein: His Life and Universe. Simon & Schuster, 2007.
– Notes Einstein’s spelling and organizational struggles in early academic years. - “Artificial Intelligence in Education: Promises and Implications for Teaching and Learning.” OECD Education Working Papers No. 219, 2020.
– Describes the positive role AI can play in improving individualized instruction. - “The Internet and Civic Engagement.” Pew Research Center, 2009. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2009/09/01/the-internet-and-civic-engagement/
– Shows how the internet provides access to diverse viewpoints, including political ideologies. - Mitchel Resnick. Lifelong Kindergarten: Cultivating Creativity through Projects, Passion, Peers, and Play. MIT Press, 2017.
– Advocates for creative learning approaches supported by technology tools like AI.
Andrew McConnell is a Columnist for Direct Line News. Contact Andrew.McConnell@mcgopclub.com
Direct Line News is a Maryland-based free-access publication committed to the Republican reform tradition.
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