The AI Tools Kids Use Have Been Graded
A nonprofit benchmark tested 12 AI chat apps with simulated kids. What the scores tell a district, and what they leave out.
Jon Fila
Jon Fila is a pioneering educational leader and author specializing in AI integration and digital innovation in education. As creator of inclusiveaistrategies.com and author of four books on AI in education, he champions equitable access to cutting-edge educational technologies. His expertise and leadership led to one of the nation’s largest K12 Open Educational Resources initiatives. A 2022 Minnesota Teacher of the Year finalist, Jon combines 25 years of educational experience with expertise in AI implementation, digital accessibility, and strategic planning. He consults nationwide, helping educational institutions navigate the intersection of technology and equity through workshops, presentations, and strategic guidance. His work spans K-12, higher education, and educational technology sectors, focusing on creating sustainable, inclusive frameworks for educational innovation.
Is your AI breaking your rules?
My AI assistant kept breaking rules it reads at the start of every session. I sorted all 423 by how they could be enforced, built… Read More »Is your AI breaking your rules?
Before You Share That AI Headline
I taught Media Literacy for many years. Here are five AI outrage headlines, from blackmail to bottles of water, and what the sources and numbers… Read More »Before You Share That AI Headline
Rintrah roars! What the hell is an OpenAI Dot and why would I want to use it?
Fiery fury tears down old systems to clear the way for spiritual and creative renewal. If you follow the side of my life in which… Read More »Rintrah roars! What the hell is an OpenAI Dot and why would I want to use it?
Revitalizing an Old OER Literacy Unit
I revised one of Odell Education’s openly licensed literacy units, Making Evidence-Based Claims for Grade 12, to see what a careful revision could look like:… Read More »Revitalizing an Old OER Literacy Unit
We Want Your Feedback (Not Really)
Performing participation is not the same as being valued. Mistaking a manipulative illusion being taken for the real thing is only getting worse because of… Read More »We Want Your Feedback (Not Really)
We Blew Our Last Chance to Kill Grades and We’re Doing it Again
Grades survived COVID. Don’t let them survive AI. In May of 2021, mid-pandemic, I published a post on my personal blog called “Why Grades are… Read More »We Blew Our Last Chance to Kill Grades and We’re Doing it Again
To Use or Not to Use
Whenever I give a keynote about generative AI, the same question shows up: when should we use it, and when should we leave it alone?… Read More »To Use or Not to Use
The Teacher’s Burden: AI Is Breaking What Was Already Broken
Teachers are expected to learn AI, police AI, redesign around AI, and manage the fallout—all without additional time, training, or compensation. This is unsustainable.
When AI Accommodations Are Not Accommodations
Adding AI tools to an IEP without training, guidance, or thoughtful implementation is not an accommodation. It is abandonment dressed up as innovation.