If I had a blank check—unlimited funding, unlimited time—to build or integrate just one thing at the intersection of AI and data, I know exactly where I’d start. I’d build AI that addresses the overwhelming needs of our public schools. Not as a replacement for teachers, but as a force multiplier—something that allows educators to focus on what matters most: the kids.
I’ve seen this challenge up close, since my mother was a school teacher. I watched her spend hours—late nights, early mornings—trying to design lesson plans that could somehow work for every student in her classroom. And the truth is, that’s an impossible task. Students learn in vastly different ways, at different paces, with different strengths and challenges. And yet, most teachers are still stuck trying to squeeze all that complexity into a one-size-fits-all curriculum.
But here’s the thing. The fruits of a teacher’s labor that stick with a child for a lifetime aren’t the lessons in a textbook. They’re the moments when a teacher sees them—really sees them. When they notice that a student is struggling, not just with algebra, but with life. When they offer encouragement at exactly the right time. When they create an environment where every kid feels like they belong. That’s the magic of teaching. And that’s where AI can—and should—step in to help.
Imagine an AI-driven system that dynamically adapts lesson plans to each student’s needs, allowing teachers to focus on nurturing, guiding, and inspiring. A tool that doesn’t just analyze test scores, but understands learning styles, emotional states, and engagement levels in real time. A system that makes sure no child falls through the cracks—not because they weren’t capable, but because their unique way of learning didn’t fit into the standard mold.
Now, I know that you might be thinking, “Ryan—there are already AI tools out there for education.” And that’s true. But most of what exists today is either too rigid, too generic, or too focused on replacing teachers rather than empowering them. We don’t need AI to take over the classroom. We need AI to do the heavy lifting on the back end so that teachers can do what no machine will ever do: connect, empathize, and inspire.
The real question is, how do we build it? How do we create an AI that’s trustworthy, unbiased, and adaptable enough to meet the needs of millions of students across different backgrounds, abilities, and learning environments? That’s where decentralized data comes in. If we want AI that truly serves the public good, we can’t afford to have it controlled by a handful of corporations, operating in black boxes with proprietary models. The data that fuels this AI needs to be secure, transparent, and accountable—to parents, to teachers, and to communities.
This isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s a necessity. Because if we get this right, we unlock something transformative: an education system that meets every child where they are, rather than forcing them to conform to a system that wasn’t built for them. A world where teachers can spend less time on administrative busywork and more time shaping young minds and hearts.
So, if I had that blank check, I’d cash it in for something bigger than just another AI tool. I’d invest in the future of our kids, the future of our educators, and the future of a society that values learning in all its forms. Because when we lift up our teachers, we lift up our children. And when we lift up our children, we all rise.
