By: Sandra Painter
Artificial intelligence has arrived in U.S. classrooms faster than most districts can keep up. Some schools have banned it outright, concerned about plagiarism and a decline in critical thinking. Others are experimenting without clear guidelines. Families, caught in the middle, are left wondering: Will these tools help students learn, or will they just encourage shortcuts?
Few people are as qualified to weigh in as Peter Kraft, a veteran EdTech entrepreneur who has founded and scaled four education technology companies, working directly with more than 10,000 schools and districts nationwide. He has spent more than two decades helping educators adapt to new technologies while keeping teachers and students at the center. Today, as the CEO and Co-Founder of Wisdom Circuits, he is focused on one word that he says determines whether AI will be a force for growth or a risk to learning: guardrails.
“If a platform just provides answers, students lose the chance to think,” Kraft says. “Guardrails make the difference between AI that harms and AI that helps. Every response should connect back to classroom learning, not bypass it.”
The Teacher’s Dilemma
National surveys show nearly half of teachers report feeling guilty when they use AI tools, often describing the practice as “cheating.” Kraft says that sentiment reveals something deeper about the profession.
“Teachers don’t want to outsource their role,” he explains. “They want clarity on how AI fits into teaching, and confidence that it will reinforce, not erode, the work they do with students.”
That tension is playing out in schools across the country. On one side, administrators see AI’s promise to save time and improve efficiency. On the other hand, educators worry about losing control of the craft they’ve built their careers on. For Kraft, the solution isn’t to ban AI or to hand it unchecked to students, but to define its boundaries.
Why Guardrails Matter
At its core, the guardrail concept is about holding individuals accountable. When students ask questions, they should not receive generic answers pulled from the internet. They should get explanations rooted in the lessons they’re studying and the skills they’re expected to master.
“The whole point is to make AI a true partner in learning, not a shortcut,” Kraft says.
That philosophy guided his team at Wisdom Circuits. Their system is built so that every answer ties back to classroom standards, avoiding the “answer-bot” problem that many teachers fear. In Kraft’s view, this is the only way to ensure that students continue to learn how to reason, persist through challenges, and achieve real mastery.
Equity on the Line
Beyond pedagogy, Kraft says equity is one of the most significant issues in AI adoption. National data already reveal disparities between public and private schools in terms of training and support. Wealthier districts and independent schools tend to report more structured AI use, while underfunded schools are often left to figure it out on their own.
“Equity has to be part of the conversation,” he says. “When done responsibly, AI can bridge divides. Multilingual access, for example, means an English learner can get the same quality support as a native speaker. But without clear rules, the digital divide will only grow wider.”
This matters because access to high-quality tutoring has always been uneven. Families with resources could afford extra help, while others could not. AI could change that—if it’s implemented with fairness and responsibility in mind.
Teachers Redefined, Not Replaced
One of the fears in the AI debate is that machines will replace teachers. Kraft does not mince words on that point.
“The ideal classrooms will be those where teachers remain the guides, mentors, and decision-makers, and AI works in service of that human connection,” he says.
In practice, this could mean that teachers use AI to gain quick insights into where students are struggling or to generate practice questions that align with their lesson plans. It could also mean students turn to AI for extra help at home, while teachers remain the ones who frame the learning, track progress, and set expectations.
The vision, Kraft argues, is not to reduce the teacher’s role, but to amplify it.
A Generation Growing Up With AI
The debate over AI in schools extends beyond today’s classrooms. It is about the generation of students growing up with AI companions as part of their daily lives. For Kraft, this raises new responsibilities for educators and policymakers.
How do you teach a child who expects instant answers? How do you make sure curiosity, persistence, and creativity aren’t lost to convenience?
Kraft believes the answer lies in designing AI that not only provides solutions but also teaches students how to think. That means building tools that challenge students to explain their reasoning, link concepts to their interests, and see connections to the real world.
The Road Ahead
District leaders, policymakers, and families now face a choice: whether to establish clear boundaries for AI in education or risk allowing it to shape learning on its own.
Kraft believes that the path forward requires striking a balance between innovation and responsibility.
“As policymakers, districts, and families wrestle with the role of AI in education, the choice is clear,” he says. “Build guardrails now or risk losing control of how students learn.”
The work ahead will not be easy. Training, infrastructure, and cultural shifts in schools take time. But Kraft says the urgency is real.
“Students are already using AI,” he notes. “The question is whether schools will lead with a responsible approach, or whether they’ll be playing catch-up.”
About Peter Kraft
Peter Kraft is a veteran EdTech entrepreneur who has founded and scaled four education technology companies, working directly with more than 10,000 schools and districts worldwide. Over two decades, he has helped educators integrate technology into classrooms in ways that balance innovation with student well-being and teacher leadership. His work has been cited in national conversations about digital learning, equity, and policy. He is now the CEO and Co-Founder of Wisdom Circuits, an AI-powered learning platform designed with built-in guardrails to support teachers, protect student privacy, and promote equity across diverse classrooms.
Wisdom Circuits utilizes its patent-pending Interest Integration™ to connect lessons to a student’s passions—making learning more engaging while reinforcing critical thinking, rather than replacing it. The platform also provides multilingual support and transparency tools for parents and teachers, reflecting Kraft’s long-standing commitment to using technology to close gaps, not widen them.
More at: www.wisdomcircuits.com
Peter Kraft is available to speak with the media on all aspects of AI in education, including guardrails, equity, privacy, teacher impact, and the rise of “Generation AI.”
