A1 in Schools
Even the stars would rather be satellites.
In a bold move to modernize American education, U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon (of self-made wrestling fame) yesterday announced on stage at ASU+GSV a sweeping initiative to integrate “A1” into public schools. She was referring, somewhat interchangeably, to artificial intelligence and the popular steak sauce:
The moment was quickly clipped, shared, and pressed into a punchline. We laughed, we cringed. But wait…does anyone have a handle on this stuff? 👀
Schools, workplaces, jobseekers, policymakers, and parents are all playing catch-up to a future that’s arriving faster than any of us expected. Public servants responsible for shepherding us through the implications of modern technology are falling behind on basic digital literacy. We’ve seen Senators fumble their way through tech hearings and stutter around AI models. Each time it happens, we normalize that our nation’s tech policy is written by the same people who call their grandkids to reset their passwords.
In this moment, we’re laughing at a system that can’t keep pace with the world it’s meant to govern. But when we stop expecting leaders to be fluent in the tools of the future, we stop demanding competence. Yes, the pace of change is dizzying. But if we lose the will to try, we’re just adding noise to the orbit.
We’re building a culture of satellites: machines that circle around, reflect borrowed light, and wait for instruction. A society run by satellites can’t chart new constellations. If America wants a shot at building a fairer, more equitable future for everyone, we need the humility to admit when we don’t know and learn anyway.
