There is a version of AI in education that worries people, and understandably so. A student submits an essay they did not write. A key skill goes unpractised. A generation grows up outsourcing its thinking to a machine.
Then there is another version, one where AI removes the barriers that were getting in the way of learning in the first place.
At Aotearoa Infinite Academy, we focus on that second version.
A Snapshot of Where Things Stand
Artificial intelligence is no longer something on the horizon for New Zealand schools. It is already here, already in use, and already reshaping how students learn, study, and think.
Right here in Aotearoa, nearly 69% of New Zealand lower secondary teachers reported using AI in their work in 2024, placing New Zealand third out of 55 countries worldwide.
Our students are growing up in one of the most AI-literate education systems in the world. The opportunity is enormous. But with that opportunity comes responsibility. The question for schools is no longer whether students will use AI. It is whether they will use it well.
In New Zealand, the AI in schools debate has too often been confined to plagiarism, a narrow view that overlooks questions of equity, human development, metacognition, and well-being. At Infinite Academy, those are exactly the questions we are asking.
From Overwhelm to Being on Top of It
Picture a student staring at a major assignment due in two weeks. The instructions are long, the content is dense, and they have no idea where to start. Now picture that same student 10 minutes later with a clear five-step plan, a set of audio study notes, and the confidence to begin.
That is what the right AI tools can do. And this term, our senior students have been exploring two tools that do exactly that.
Gemini Gems: Your Child's Personal Study Coach
Gemini Gems allows students to set up a personalised AI coach with a specific purpose. By prompting it with something like "Help me break this assignment into five manageable steps", students can tackle big projects without the overwhelm, building independence and executive functioning skills along the way.
A student facing a large, daunting task can prompt their Gem to act as an executive functioning coach, breaking the work down into clear, sequential steps. The result is a student who feels more prepared, with a structured path forward they built themselve. The AI simply helps them get started.
NotebookLM: Making Information Accessible
NotebookLM is a game-changer for processing dense information. Students upload their class notes or readings, and the tool generates study guides or converts the content into an audio podcast. For neurodiverse learners, or students who absorb information more effectively through listening.
It does not replace the reading. It makes the reading stick. And for students who find traditional revision methods exhausting, it opens up the curriculum in a completely new way.
The Bigger Picture
What does it mean to study smarter, not harder? For a long time, that phrase felt like advice without a practical answer. AI tools have started to change that.
Our students will enter a workforce where AI fluency is not a bonus. It is a baseline expectation. The question is not whether to engage with these tools. It is how.
At Aotearoa Infinite Academy, we are not just teaching subjects. We are teaching students how to learn. How to think critically, how to manage their time, and how to use the tools available to them with intention and integrity.
While the jury is still out on the impact AI will have on the wider world and education, it is important to teach our students to view AI as a tool to support learning and helps them achieve their goals, rather than replace their own thinking.