Why New Brunswick is Adding AI to Schools Now, Despite Mixed Reactions

The provincial Department of Education has officially added artificial‑intelligence learning to the updated anglophone K‑12 curriculum, extending the earlier pilot work of the Anglophone East School District to schools across the province.

Officials warn that a "tsunami of AI use" has already washed into classrooms. André Côté, executive director of the public‑policy think‑tank The Dais, said the update is an important first step for consistency and clarity as education systems have been slow to respond.

Jordan Smith, Anglophone East’s tech, innovation and AI subject coordinator, explained that New Brunswick has "mindfully integrated" AI so teachers can present the technology in an age‑appropriate way and encourage students to question it critically.

From kindergarten to Grade 2, pupils begin with basic digital‑literacy discussions, such as how they feel when using technology and why online information can be wrong. As they grow older they move to tablets, but primary students are not given chat‑bots.

Any school use of AI must follow platform age limits. Of the nine approved tools, about half are restricted to learners 13 years and older, younger children need parental consent, and a third are for teachers only. Approved tools include Microsoft Copilot (Grade 9+), Canva, Suno and Gemini Notebook.

The ministry also released AI learning modules for teachers and provides regular professional‑development sessions, while a team of tech coaches helps classrooms put the new guidelines into practice.

Parents and some educators have voiced concerns. They worry about extra screen time, the speed of AI adoption and whether students will lose critical‑thinking skills.

Superintendent Randolph MacLean said consent forms have been sent home, so families can opt‑out if they wish. Ben Humphreys, a parent of a seven‑year‑old, warned that rapid AI rollout could undermine children’s ability to think independently, while Canadian Teachers’ Federation president Clint Johnston urged slower implementation and more teacher training.

Education Minister Claire Johnson noted that the AI component sits alongside the existing focus on literacy, numeracy and teacher judgement, and that similar work is underway for the province’s francophone schools.

Overall, New Brunswick’s decision reflects pressure from the sudden spread of AI tools, a desire to give students a structured, critical framework, and the need to balance innovation with parental and educator concerns.

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