Wealthy Americans turn to AI tutors for their children's education
Some affluent US families are opting for private schools that use AI tutors instead of traditional teachers, paying tens of thousands of dollars annually.
A segment of America's wealthy is choosing AI-driven education over traditional schools for their children. Companies like Forge Prep and Alpha School charge families tens of thousands of dollars per year to enroll children in programs featuring AI tutors and interactive project-based workshops. Silicon Valley residents have been among the early adopters of this model.
Shaun Johnson, a venture capitalist from San Francisco, plans to send his son to Alpha Kindergarten at a cost of $75,000 per year. He stated that the current education system is likely broken and that entrepreneurs will try to fix it. Johnson wants his child to learn to think on their feet and navigate the world, rather than just recite facts.
Alpha School co-founder MacKenzie Price has said she plans to keep "hot-button social issues" out of the classroom, which in the current political climate could cover women's rights, America's history of slavery, and its immigrant past. While this might seem less significant at the kindergarten level, Alpha School operates through high school in some locations.
Forge and similar companies do not share performance metrics, so there is no evidence that these AI-guided private schools are improving educational outcomes.
