Is AI Reshaping the Future of the Teaching Profession?
- Feb. 28, 2026, 7 p.m.
AI is transforming learning, but it is fortifying, not decreasing, the role of parents and teachers during the panel discussion on “AI in the Classroom: Promise, Peril and Possibilities.” The session brought together these people:
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- Ashish Arora (Sr. VP, Cambridge University Press & Assessment, South Asia).
- Surabhi Bhargav (Principal, Cambridge School, Noida).
- Sharmila Bakshi (Principal, Vasant Valley School, Delhi).
Their debate moved beyond fear and excitement, concentrating on responsible and balanced integration.
Sharmila Bakshi indicated that AI cannot be limited to a single label, and relying on how educators employ it, AI can operate as a co-teacher, and even a disruptor. She admitted that AI enhances creativity and simplifies administrative tasks by quizzes, storytelling and presentations. Still, she strongly mentioned that it must never weaken the teacher’s presence or authority. Teachers will guide, mentor and support students always.
Bakshi realised that traditional classrooms where teachers lecture and students receive information, are developing. AI cuts off this outdated framework, but disruption does not inevitably mean harm. The risk arises when students misuse AI by creating homework without a real appointment. She stressed that teachers must train students to employ AI responsibly and plan assignments that demand consideration, reflection and reasoning skills that AI cannot repeat authentically.
Surabhi Bhargav stresses this view by highlighting that weak pedagogy threatens education, not AI. Any tool weakens thinking, and students must treat AI as a beginning point instead of a final assurance. Schools should train them to verify information, understand AI’s limitations and question results. She also mentioned that AI cannot replace teachers, it should serve as a tool that assists learning while maintaining communication, human connection and collaboration.
Bhargav reminded the audience that schools build emotional growth, social skills and culture, areas where technology cannot replace humans. Education shapes character and community beyond academics.
The panel talked about AI’s possible to access gaps and bridge language. AI can assist first-gen students from non-English-speaking environments through multilingual assistance and tailored explanations when carried out intelligently. However, the speakers emphasised that AI cannot deal with mental challenges, socio-economic realities and cultural sensibilities. Instructions must work with technology instead of strictly relying on it.
Ashish Arora elaborated on the conversation to involve parents, and he highlighted that responsible AI usage started at home. Parents must assist children in aligning with technology brilliantly instead of refusing it or believing AI-generated answers. Traditional parenting ways, like strict supervision and memorisation, may no longer work. Parents must opt out of outdated approaches and stay engaged with their children’s digital learning ecosystems.
The panel expressed worries about misinformation, algorithmic bias and information privacy. Generative AI models can present incorrect information and internalise biases as fact. Schools must cautiously choose AI applications and handle human-led critical thinking and fact-checking.
None of the panellists saw teacherless classrooms seeking ahead to 2030. Rather, they predicted a future where designers of learning experiences, emotional anchors and instructors act as mentors, while AI serves as an efficient assistance tool. Finally, the panel decided that AI’s effect on learning relies not on the technology alone, but on how responsibly parents, policymakers and educators opt to employ it.
