Decoding the benefits of introducing AI in early education

AI is the talk of the town today, and not without a reason. It is transforming industries, economies, and our day-to-day activities. Amid this shifting landscape, it is imperative to introduce children to these tools at an early age to ensure their effective and ethical usage.

While AI is often considered a subject reserved for higher education or for professionals, its influence is now beginning to be felt much earlier, with children increasingly engaging with voice assistants and other algorithm-powered platforms.

This is what inspired me to establish IvySchool.ai, as I realised that while children are surrounded by AI applications and tools, most of them are not being taught how these function. There are no classes in computer science, AI, or entrepreneurship, the very skills shaping every part of our world today, and I wanted to change that.

Driven by a firm determination to address this gap, I began learning computer science and AI from Harvard, MIT, Stanford, and Duke, and studied entrepreneurship from Wharton. I soon realised that this opportunity should be made available to everyone, regardless of age or location.

The biggest challenge in this journey was not my age; it was convincing people that education itself needs to evolve. Many adults still believe AI and coding are “too advanced” for children, or that AI will eventually manage all coding, making the skill irrelevant.

But I knew from experience that the real value isn’t just in writing code, it is in thinking logically, creating solutions, and understanding AI well enough to use it responsibly now and in the future.

Another key challenge was building credibility. People often listen to a story before they listen to a solution. I had to demonstrate that IvySchool.ai was not just a “cool project by a kid,” but a serious platform designed to equip learners with future-ready skills.

There were operational hurdles too, such as designing age-appropriate courses, finding the right mentors, and building a platform that feels human, not robotic. Yet every challenge became an opportunity to gain experience faster and build smarter.

Why are learning platforms helpful?

Conventional schooling frameworks, particularly in countries like India, often fail to integrate technological advancements. The primary reasons include slow curriculum updates, inconsistent teacher training, and the absence of infrastructure.

Addressing these challenges effectively, platforms like IvySchool.ai serve as critical bridges, offering relevant and more engaging content to children. By delivering project-based courses in AI, computer science, and entrepreneurship to students as young as eight, it aims to democratise access to future-ready skills.

The next generation of companies, startups, innovation hubs, and global platforms will all be AI-powered. Understanding AI and coding isn’t about learning tools; it is about preparing to create, lead, and innovate in a world where technology drives every business.

[Views expressed are personal]