What Are the AI Century Tasks?

Last weekend, I had the honor of giving the keynote address at the AI in Action conference, hosted by International Education Services and the IB in Shanghai. The session was titled “Unlocking AI’s Potential to Support Teaching, Learning, and Operations,” and it focused on what’s possible when educators start treating AI as a thought partner—not just a tool, but something we collaborate with to improve how we work, teach, and learn.

We looked at a few practical, no-code use cases—things like using AI to streamline workflows, build custom tools, support classroom instruction, and yes, even tackle those endless emails. The session ran 90 minutes, but honestly, it could’ve gone longer. The energy in the room was electric. I appreciate everyones engagement and participation!

But what really stuck with me—what I can’t stop thinking about—was a moment early on when I shared this quote from Franklin Bobbitt:

“As the world presses eagerly forward toward the accomplishment of new things, education also must advance no less swiftly… And yet to do the nineteenth-century task better than it was then done is not necessarily to do the twentieth-century task.”

That line hit home. Because too often, in education, we’re perfecting systems designed for a world that no longer exists. So, I turned to the audience— educators, leaders, and change-makers—and I asked:

“What are the tasks of the AI Century?”

And wow, did they respond.

Some answers were light and playful (“Just use the damn thing 😂”), others were serious, philosophical, and future-focused. But together, they painted a picture—a collective vision of what we actually want education (and AI) to be about in this moment.

Here’s a summary of what they shared.

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8 Core AI Century Tasks (According to 131 Educators)

1. Communication, Collaboration, and Connection

We don’t want AI to replace our humanity—we want it to amplify it. That means helping us connect better with one another, across cultures, systems, and even languages. AI becomes a bridge, not a wall.

2. Creativity, Critical Thinking, and Problem-Solving

This came up again and again: let the machines do the repetitive stuff so we can double down on the work that requires actual human ingenuity. Design, question-asking, imagination—this is the work of the future.

3. Prompt Engineering and Tool Mastery

Knowing how to use AI is quickly becoming as important as knowing how to write or do math. Prompt engineering isn’t just a tech skill—it’s about thinking clearly, asking great questions, and shaping meaningful responses.

4. Ethical Use, Purpose, and Responsibility

It’s not just about what we do with AI—it’s about why we’re doing it. Educators want guardrails. Values. Accountability. We need to ensure AI is helping humans flourish, not just perform faster.

5. Efficiency, Automation, and Time-Saving

This one’s simple: let AI handle the tedious tasks. Grading, scheduling, drafting… get that off our plates so we can spend more time doing what we love—teaching, connecting, creating.

6. Learning and Education Transformation

There was a clear call to stop tweaking the old system and start reimagining it altogether. AI can accelerate personalized, student-driven, inquiry-based learning. We just need to be bold enough to let it.

7. Human Flourishing and Well-Being

Some of the most powerful responses weren’t about tech at all. “Make life better.” “Help people be happy.” “Give us time to enjoy life.” That’s what all of this should be about, right?

8. Future Readiness and Adaptability

Change is happening faster than ever. The real skill isn’t mastering one tool—it’s being ready to learn the next. We need to help students (and ourselves) become flexible, reflective, and adaptable humans in a rapidly shifting world.

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Where We Go From Here

If this conference taught me anything, it’s that educators are already doing the work. Not just integrating new tools, but asking the right questions. Wrestling with the ethics. Dreaming up better futures.

Franklin Bobbitt was right—it’s not enough to improve the old ways. We need to design new ones. And that means defining new tasks—AI Century Tasks—that reflect the world our students are growing into, not the one we grew up in.

So let’s keep asking the hard questions.
Let’s stay curious.
Let’s keep building a future that works—for all of us.

Thanks for reading

—Dr. Shannon H. Doak