Part I: Can AI Replace Teachers?

Can AI replace teachers? If AI does, what are consequences? Let’s dive into the real implications and consequences of AI teachers and possibly a solution to this future issue?

Photo Credits: “Can Ai Replace Teachers? We Finally Know the Answer.” eSpark, 1 Feb. 2024, www.esparklearning.com/blog/can-ai-replace-teachers-we-finally-know-the-answer/.

Social skills, as defined by the APA Dictionary of Psychology, are “a set of learned abilities that enable an individual to interact competently and appropriately in a given social context. The most commonly identified social skills in Western cultures include assertiveness, coping, communication and friendship-making skills, interpersonal problem solving, and the ability to regulate one’s cognitions, feelings, and behavior” (APA Dictionary of Psychology). Social skills are learned through daily interactions and context, which is highly influenced by schools, specifically teachers, in America. Teachers shape the social aptitude of their students and create sufficient environments to develop them. Artificial intelligence is sufficient in providing concise information, and having procedural knowledge across different fields. However, artificial intelligence is incapable of replicating an environment to support the development of social skills of students like human teachers.  The social aptitude of students in America could be negatively impacted by the possible replacement of teachers with artificial intelligence because it hinders students’ ability to form relationships and social and emotional learning (SEL) skills for students.

If students learn from artificial intelligence instead of teachers, it can hinder their development of their social aptitude. As discussed by Tara Garcia Matthewson,  an investigative journalist and a Spencer Fellow at Columbia University,  “Seeking human help doesn’t only leave students with the resolution to a single problem, it gives them a connection to another person. And that person, down the line could become a friend, a mentor, or a business partner”(Matthewson). When students interact with humans in an academic setting, they form lasting relationships that extend beyond the solution to a question. These relationships shape a student’s social aptitude and skills. The connections could significantly help, impact one, or hold great power in one’s life, such as future mentors or business partners. Matthewson also cites Dr. Daniel Chambliss, retired sociologist from Hamilton College, coauthor of How College Works, and PhD holder from Yale University, who believes AI isolates students from social interactions, “AI-driven chatbots make it too easy to avoid interactions that can lead to important relationships. As students increasingly turn to artificial intelligence for help and even casual conversation, Chambliss predicted it will isolate people even more: ‘it’s one more place where they won’t have a personal relationship’” (Matthewson). If artificial intelligence were to replace teachers, it would reduce the number of social interactions students have, ultimately impacting students' personal relationships and their ability to form connections. This isolation prevents students from interacting with their mentors or teachers, which leads to important human relationships. AI gives a platform for students to avoid social interactions, ultimately hurting their personal relationships. Blanka Klimova, professor and researcher at Univerzita Hradec Králové, also discusses that AI negatively impacts social skills and interactions, “Over-reliance on AI for communication, especially in recreational contexts, may reduce face-to-face social interactions, negatively impacting interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence. Students may become more isolated and less adept at real-world social interactions and teamwork, which are critical to their overall social well-being and development” (Klimova et al). As a result, if AI replaces teachers, it would minimize student-teacher connections and peer relationships. The reduction of social interaction also negatively impacts their emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills, which are crucial in forming relationships, their social aptitude, and are necessary for teamwork and real-world connections. However, students are unable to practice forming relationships and interacting with others in AI teaching environments. In all, AI teachers negatively impact students’ ability to form connections, which altogether negatively impacts their overall social aptitude.

We dived deep into teachers’ impact on social skills, but there is more to answering this question. Want to learn more about the implications and limitations of AI integration, read part II.

“APA Dictionary of Psychology.” American Psychological Association, 19 Apr. 2018, dictionary.apa.org/social-skills. Garcia Matthewson, Tara  “AI Is Helping Students Be More Independent, but the Isolation Could Be Concerning.”, The Markup, 16 July 2025, https://explore.proquest.com/sirsissuesresearcher/document/3248343402.

Klimova, Blanka, and Marcel Pikhart. “Exploring the Effects of Artificial Intelligence on Student and Academic Well-Being in Higher Education: A Mini-Review.” Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 16, no. 16, 3 Feb. 2025,

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11830699/,https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1498132