A charter school in Arizona, United States, has received approval from the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools to implement an innovative educational model.
A Unbound Academy, aimed at students in grades four through eight, it will offer a fully online learning experience with just two hours of classes per day. More surprising than that is that all classes will be taught by artificial intelligence, without the involvement of human teachers.
Unbound Academy plans to use AI-driven software from platforms like IXL and Khan Academy to offer personalized classes. These tools will adapt to the learning pace, emotional reactions and task performance of each student, adapting the content to their individual needs.
According to , the school argues that this model can improve children’s learning efficiency, although many educators and parents remain skeptical.
The use of AI in education is not entirely new. Unbound already operates a similar model in Texas, claiming success in personalized learning. However, there are still concerns about whether AI can truly replace the role of a human teacher.
In addition to the two hours of classes, the rest of the school day will be filled with life skills workshopsfocusing on financial literacy, entrepreneurship, critical thinking and public speaking. These sessions will be led by “guides” rather than certified teachers.
Critics argue that this AI-only approach may reflect a growing trend in which education is treated more like a business opportunity than a public good. Charter schools often operate on a for-profit basis, and taking teachers out of the equation significantly reduces costs.
By avoiding the need to pay salaries, benefits or face unions, schools like Unbound Academy can drastically reduce expenses.
