Basil Jarrett | The future you knew is gone: Letting go of the past and raising AI-ready kids

SOMETIME LAST year, I wrote in these pages that it’s not an if or a maybe, but rather a when, artificial intelligence (AI) will put us out of a job and disrupt life as we know it. I also wrote that we ought not to be afraid of technology, and promised that professionals who master AI are going to replace professionals who don’t.

After the events of this week, it is now clear how horribly wrong I was. Yes, AI will still disrupt our lives, take our jobs, and replace professionals who don’t use it with those who do. But, here’s the catch. That latter group of professionals shouldn’t get too comfortable as they, too, will be one day be made extinct as AI becomes more advanced, more capable, more, well, intelligent.

If you’ve been living under a rock, or too busy doom-scrolling on TikTok all week, you might have missed the big news Monday on how China, in retaliation for the US’s restriction on computer chips to that country, unleashed a new AI model that immediately outran, outsmarted and outperformed Silicon Valley’s big boy ChatGPT, for 99 per cent of the cost.

THE BIG BLUE WHALE IN THE ROOM

The strangely named Deepseek R1, we are told, used a radically different architecture to out-AI the world’s leading AI models, immediately wiping away US$500 billion in value from chip manufacturers NVIDIA, whose superpowered microchips held AI developers by the throat. Deepseek’s biggest advantage is that it’s free and open source, meaning independent developers can have a field day extracting even more sweet AI goodness out of the technology.

As the world reeled from the implications of this new AI marvel, I found myself at a much smaller, yet equally profound, crossroads – parent-teacher consultation at my son’s school. It was there, amid the innocent ambition of students and the proud nods of parents, that it hit me: Are we preparing our children for a future that no longer exists?

Suddenly, the full weight of Deepseek R1’s arrival bore down on me, as if the giant whale that is its logo was about to swallow me whole.

TOWARDS AN AI FUTURE

You see, as parents, educators, and caregivers, we’ve always had a vision of the future we’re preparing our children for. It’s a future filled with opportunities, challenges, and a world that, while uncertain, feels somewhat predictable. We teach them to read, write, and solve math problems because these skills have been the foundation of success for generations. But, here’s the uncomfortable truth: that future we’ve been preparing them for no longer exists. The rapid rise of AI like Deepseek has fundamentally altered the trajectory of human development.

If we want to introduce AI to our children in a way that doesn’t harm their educational, personal, and human intelligence, therefore, I put it to you that we, said parents, educators, and caregivers, must first accept that the old rules no longer apply, and life as we know it no longer exists. At least not for much longer.

So, no. This isn’t just about teaching kids how to use ChatGPT or letting them play with AI-powered toys. It’s about recognising that the world they will inherit is one where AI is deeply embedded in every aspect of life - from how they learn and work to how they form relationships and understand themselves. But, before we can guide them through this new reality, we ourselves must confront our own fears, biases, and misconceptions about what the future holds.

THE IMPORTANCE OF HUMAN CONNECTION

For decades, us adults have operated under the assumption that the skills and knowledge we impart to children will serve them well in the years to come. We’ve relied on a simple and linear model of progress: go to school, get a degree, build a career, get married, die. You know … the way we did it. But AI has disrupted this model in ways we haven’t even yet begun to understand.

Jobs that once seemed secure are being automated. Knowledge and skills that were once valuable are becoming redundant. And the pace of change is accelerating so rapidly that it’s impossible to predict what the job market, or society for that matter, will look like in 10 years.

This uncertainty is unsettling, especially for parents who want to give their children the best possible start in life. But clinging to outdated ideas about the future does more harm than good. If we try to prepare children for a world that no longer exists, we risk leaving them ill-equipped to navigate the challenges and opportunities of the AI era.

THE ROLE OF ADULTS IN THE AI TRANSITION

The first step, then, in preparing children for an AI-driven future is for us adults to accept that the future we envisioned is gone. Obviously, this isn’t easy. It requires us to let go of deeply ingrained beliefs about success, intelligence, and human potential. It also requires us to confront our own anxieties about AI – fears of job loss, loss of control, and even loss of meaning.

One of those biggest fears in introducing AI to children is that it will diminish their human intelligence and make them lazy. But, despite its incredible power, AI is not a replacement for critical thinking, creativity, empathy, or moral reasoning. At least not yet. For example, current AI models can help children learn math or write essays, but they can’t teach them how to ask meaningful questions, think outside the box, or understand the nuances of human emotion. These are skills that I believe will be most valuable for them. You see, our current education system was not designed for the AI age. It prioritises rote memorisation, standardised testing, and conformity over creativity, adaptability, and problem-solving. If we want to prepare children for the future, therefore, we need to rethink how and what we teach them.

This doesn’t mean throwing out the old system entirely. Reading, writing, and math are still important. But we need to place greater emphasis on skills like emotional intelligence, collaboration, and ethical reasoning. We also need to challenge our schools to meaningfully and responsibly integrate AI into curricula, encourage parents to focus on adaptability over memorisation, and develop in our kids a love for lifelong learning, not just traditional degrees.

The important question I think every parent should be asking then is, “Am I preparing my child for the world as it is, or the world as I wish it were? The answer to that question may be the most important step in ensuring that they thrive in the new AI reality.

Major Basil Jarrett is the director of communications at the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA) and a crisis communications consultant. Follow him on Twitter, Instagram, Threads @IamBasilJarrett and linkedin.com/in/basiljarrett. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com