In Arizona, a new programme allows artificial intelligence (AI) to teach core subjects to students in grades four to eight during a two-hour school day.
While this raises excitement about technological innovation, it also intensifies fears of AI taking over human jobs worldwide, with one music teacher in Vietnam posing the pressing question of whether AI will soon replace music teachers.
Perhaps this excerpt about Ben Zander, a renowned conductor, can best illustrate the power of the human connection. Zander had once guided a young violinist in a masterclass and though her technique was solid, she lacked confidence and expression.
After her performance, Zander praised her but noticed her mother sitting tensely in the audience. Suspecting that the mother’s anxiety might be affecting the girl, he gently asked, “Do you think your daughter plays well?” Shaking her head, the mother responded, “No,” clearly hoping for advice on how her daughter could improve.
“Let me tell you something important,” Zander said, preparing her for a deeper realisation. “Your worry is transferring to her,” he revealed, identifying the root cause. “She feels your anxiety, and it’s hurting her confidence.”
He encouraged the mother to shift her focus from chasing perfection to helping her daughter feel supported and valued.
Turning to the girl, Zander said warmly, “You’re doing wonderfully. Music isn’t about perfection; it’s about expressing yourself.”
The transformation was immediate. The girl’s face lit up, and as she played again, her music radiated newfound confidence and joy.
Zander’s message is clear: Children thrive when they feel loved and supported. Teachers like him understand emotions, can identify root issues, and know how to inspire and encourage students—qualities no machine can replicate.
AI might deliver flawless technical feedback, but it lacks the emotion to nurture hearts and minds. Beyond technical skills, students need encouragement to think creatively and freely.
Teachers ignite this spark by fostering curiosity and pushing boundaries. Zander’s encouragement helped the girl rediscover joy in her music, showing the profound impact of human connection.
Lessons AI can’t replicateTeachers also impart values, ethics, and cultural understanding—areas where AI often falls short. In one tragic case, a chatbot misinterpreted a teenager’s words, despite weeks or months of interaction, and gave advice that led to the teen taking his own life.
Education is about more than delivering information; it’s about mentorship, motivation, and meaningful dialogue.
This form of human-centered dialogic teaching, practiced since ancient times, has consistently proven effective in shaping both minds and character.
When Zander responded to the girl’s performance, he didn’t just address her technique.
By sensing the lack of joy in her playing and understanding the tension from her mother, he reshaped not only the girl’s confidence but also the mother’s perspective, helping her see that her love and concern, though well-intentioned, were unintentionally causing anxiety in her daughter. This dynamic, intuitive, and human aspect of teaching is irreplaceable.
AI may excel at analysing data and delivering information, but it cannot empathise, inspire, or adapt to the complexities of human thought and behaviour. Teachers like Zander remind us that education is as much about nurturing the soul as it is about sharpening the mind.
DAVID NGO CHEK LING
Professor of Data Science and AI, Malaysia University of Science and Technology; and
ANDREW TEOH BENG JIN
Professor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Yonsei University, South Korea
