Where is the human in the loop?
Adam Dyson
Headteacher, BISR Tabuk
At BISR Tabuk, we are constantly exploring how emerging technologies can support the next generation of teaching and learning. In a recent podcast, I spoke about the opportunities that Artificial Intelligence presents for educators, but also the responsibility we have to ensure that we keep the "Human in the Loop".
For me, this phrase captures an important principle. AI can be an incredible tool, but it should never replace the professional judgement, relationships and human understanding that sit at the heart of education.
I often think of AI through the analogy of a sprint race.
Traditionally, every teacher starts on the same start line. Planning lessons, creating resources, finding engaging hooks, linking concepts across subjects and preparing assessments can take hours. AI has changed that. It is almost as if we are given a slight bump to the 30-metre area.
AI can help generate ideas, suggest connections, draft resources and reduce administrative workload in seconds. Tasks that once took hours can now take minutes.
But here is the important part.
AI starts the race; it does not finish it.
The final 70 metres still belong to the teacher.
Only a teacher knows the child who needs extra reassurance that morning. Only a teacher can recognise the spark of curiosity that takes a lesson in an unexpected direction. Only a teacher can draw upon years of experience to adapt a question, seize a teachable moment or change course completely when the learning requires it.
During my PGCE, I remember spending countless hours creating detailed lesson plans, often trying to script every possible moment. The reality was that children rarely followed the script. Great teaching has always been about adaptation, responsiveness and understanding the learners in front of you. AI cannot replace that.
What AI can do is give us back time.
- Time that can be spent talking to children.
- Time spent supporting colleagues.
- Time spent coaching teachers.
- Time spent observing learning.
- Time spent building relationships.
- Time spent focusing on the moments that make the greatest difference.
So as schools continue to explore AI, perhaps the most important question is not:
"What can AI do?"
Instead, we should ask:
"What must remain human?"
Because the future of education is unlikely to be AI versus teachers.
It will be teachers who know how to use AI effectively, whilst keeping the human firmly in the loop.
I’d be fascinated to hear the analogies others are using to make sense of this new world of AI. Is it a 30-metre head start in a race? A satnav that helps navigate the route but still requires a driver? A calculator for creativity? Or something entirely different? As educators, we are all learning together, and the conversations we have now will help shape how we use these tools responsibly and effectively in the future. What analogy would you use to describe AI's role in education?