Parenting in the Age of AI: How Education Is Adapting for Your Teen’s Future

Featuring Jennifer Parnell, Director of Innovation and AI Projects at The Lawrenceville School, and Ajay Dhaul, Senior Vice President of Global Data Solutions and Applied AI for a Fortune 500 consumer products company. This conversation was summarized by AI from our 18:10 podcast: The AI Balancing Act: Ethics, Efficiency, and Innovation and Rewiring Education: Harnessing AI for Good.

Jennifer Parnell: When ChatGPT first launched in late 2022, my classroom changed overnight. Students were fascinated. Some were nervous. Honestly, so was I. But instead of reacting with fear, I decided to ask a different question: What if this is an opportunity to reimagine education?

Ajay Dhaul: And I remember that moment vividly because that’s when you and I started our first conversation—over coffee in Princeton—about how artificial intelligence might actually improve how students learn. Not just at Lawrenceville, but across all schools that are ready to evolve.

Parnell: Exactly. AI has become such a buzzword in media and tech, but for parents of middle and high schoolers, the real question is: What does this mean for my child’s education? Are schools keeping up? Or falling behind?

Dhaul: It’s a big question—and one that we’re still exploring. But what I love about what’s happening at Lawrenceville is that you’re not approaching AI as a threat. You’re embracing it as a tool to help students become more curious, more thoughtful, and more future-ready.

What AI Actually Means for Students 

Parnell: That’s the heart of it. At Lawrenceville, our mission has always been to help students lead lives of learning and high purpose. AI doesn’t change that—it amplifies it. But only if we integrate it thoughtfully and ethically.

Dhaul: And that starts with clarity. Let’s demystify it a bit. What do you tell parents when they ask what AI is?

Parnell: I try to keep it simple. Artificial intelligence is software that can simulate human-like thinking. It learns from data sets and generates output—whether that’s an essay, an image, or an idea. The tools are evolving fast, but the key is this: AI doesn’t replace thinking. It can enhance it.

Dhaul: That’s a crucial point. In my work, I see AI helping us predict retail trends, streamline operations, and even summarize thousands of documents in seconds. But none of that matters if you don’t have someone asking the right questions. The same is true in education.

Beyond Bans and Blockers: A Smarter Approach

Parnell: In the early days, a lot of schools leaned into fear. Banning ChatGPT. Relying on AI detectors. But AI detection is flawed—it often flags student writing as AI-generated when it’s not. Plus, it misses the bigger picture.

Dhaul: Which is?

Parnell: The opportunity. What if every student could have a personalized tutor in their pocket? What if we could help teens tackle real-world problems using tools professionals use? That’s the shift. We’re not here to police creativity—we’re here to cultivate it.

Dhaul: I love that. And as a parent, that’s exactly what I want for my child. Not just protection from technology, but preparation for it.

From College Essays to Critical Thinking

Parnell: There was that quote floating around social media—“We’re witnessing the death of the college essay in real time.” And maybe we are. But maybe that’s okay. Because education has to evolve beyond assessing just a product. We have to value the process: How did you get there? What was your thinking? What decisions did you make along the way? How did you work with others during this learning activity?

Dhaul: And that aligns with how businesses are hiring now, too. It’s not about who can regurgitate information—it’s about who can analyze it, adapt to new tools, and collaborate effectively. AI can’t replace that kind of human insight. But it can help build it.

Parnell: Exactly. One of the best tools we’ve adopted here is something we call Socratic steering. Students use AI not to get answers, but to generate better questions. They’ll prompt a model like this:

“You’re a tutor that asks great questions. Don’t give me the answer—just help me think more clearly.”

Dhaul: That’s brilliant. It mirrors what great coaches and mentors do. They don’t hand you the solution—they guide you toward understanding it yourself.

The Role of Teachers in an AI World

Parnell: One question I often hear is, “Are teachers going to be replaced?” And I always say—no. In fact, their role becomes even more vital. They’re not just delivering content anymore. They’re curating experiences, guiding exploration, modeling lifelong learning, and building relationships.

Dhaul: The best teachers I had didn’t just teach facts—they taught me how to think. And that’s exactly what AI can’t do for you. It doesn’t offer wisdom or values or perspective. That’s the human layer.

Parnell: And that’s why we’re investing so deeply in professional development and training for staff and students. We hope to help every faculty member at Lawrenceville explore how to use AI responsibly—not just in their subject areas, but in how they mentor and inspire students.

Real-World Learning: AI in Action

Dhaul: Let’s talk about what this looks like on campus. Because it’s not just theory—it’s happening now.

Parnell: It is. We’ve had students build their own AI algorithms and develop apps. Others are working with our business office to analyze sustainability data. One senior did an independent study designing an AI-powered scheduling assistant. Other students have worked with specific departments to enhance instructional delivery. Our students are learning by doing, and they’re doing it in collaboration with faculty and staff.

Dhaul: That’s amazing. In business, we call that incubation—small, focused projects that show the power of new tools. You’re doing that at the high school level. And I think that’s what makes Lawrenceville special.

Building a Culture of Innovation

Parnell: But it’s not just the projects—it’s the mindset. We want every student to see themselves as a contributor to the future, not just a recipient of it. And that means creating a culture where curiosity, experimentation, and ethical questioning are valued.

Dhaul: And that culture can’t be manufactured. It has to be nurtured. It’s about students talking to students, students teaching teachers, and everyone learning together.

Parnell: One of the most exciting things is seeing how students from different disciplines—STEM, humanities, arts—are coming together around AI projects. It’s interdisciplinary. It’s creative. It’s exactly what the world needs more of. And that relationship building is at the heart of what Lawrenceville does well.

What Parents Should Watch For

Dhaul: For parents considering school options, what advice would you give when evaluating whether a school is truly ready for the AI age?

Parnell: Great question. Look for these signs:

• Faculty who are learning with the students—not resisting change, but embracing it.
• Opportunities for students to use AI creatively, not just defensively.
• Programs that teach digital literacy and ethics, not just tech skills or specific programs.
• Project-based learning that links classroom concepts to real-world challenges.
• A clear philosophy: not just how the school uses AI, but why.

Dhaul: And from the business side, I’d say the key soft skills—curiosity, collaboration, adaptability—are now essential. Schools that focus on those are giving your child a real head start.

Parnell: Absolutely. Soft skills are among the most important aspects of integrating AI and building a culture of innovation.

AI and the Bigger Picture

Parnell: We also try to anchor all of this in our school’s mission. AI is not the mission. But it is a lens through which we can rethink purpose. How do we help students not just do well, but do good?

Dhaul: And that’s where AI gets really exciting. It can help students tackle big global problems—climate change, healthcare, equity—because it accelerates insight. But only if they’re equipped to use it ethically.

Parnell: That’s why we focus so much on civil discourse. Around the Harkness table, students are learning how to talk about data, policy, technology, and impact. They’re not afraid to disagree respectfully. That’s a critical skill, with or without AI.

Looking Ahead 

Dhaul: So, Jennifer, what’s next?

Parnell: More student-led initiatives. More real-world problem solving. More interdisciplinary collaboration. Vision development that both looks inward and outward. And more conversations—like this one—with parents, faculty, and leaders who want to ensure we’re preparing kids not just for what’s next, but for what’s meaningful.

Dhaul: Well said. AI isn’t the end of education—it’s the evolution of it. And it’s inspiring to see a school like Lawrenceville leading that charge.

Parnell: We’re trying. And we’re learning as we go. But the most important thing we can do—for our students and for the world—is to stay curious.

Resources for Parents

AI is changing the landscape of education, but the core values of great schools remain: curiosity, character, community, and purpose. 

To learn more about how Lawrenceville is integrating AI into education, listen to our 18:10 podcast or read more in one of the articles below.