Mississippi develops AI in schools, colleges

Pearl – The Mississippi pays tens of millions of dollars in the education of artificial intelligence, promising to modernize the classrooms and prepare students for careers centered on technology.

Supporters say that AI can accelerate learning, stimulate creativity and provide instant comments. But criticisms say that they fear that overcoming these tools weakens essential skills such as reasoning and problem solving.

While the Mississippi works to extend the formation of AI through the State, officials draw the attention of some of the main AI world companies. But as these digital tools become more common in class K -12 and College rooms, some educators ask if students really learn to think – or simply ask the machines to think about them.

Pushed to the scale of the state

Magnolia state leaders have made AI a centerpiece of their strategy to strengthen education and the development of labor. In June, the governor Tate Reeves announcement more than $ 9.1 million in state -of -the -art subsidies higher education institutions – Four public schools and four private schools – through the AI talent accelerator program.

The program aims to develop AI-specific AI training programs, to create new laboratories and certifications, to associate with technological companies and to provide initiatives for the literacy of labor and digital literacy to prepare more than 10,000 Mississippians for careers integrated into AI.

“We are not only preparing for the future – we build it,” said Reeves at the time.

This same week, the State revealed its collaboration with NVIDIA Corp. – a technological leader based in the United States in the treatment of AI – and has announced continuous work Mississippi artificial intelligence networkOr main, to help build an AI ecosystem on the state scale and to extend access through the Mississippi.

Main, led by the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, brings together public community colleges and universities of the State within the framework of an alliance which also includes private institutions, schools from kindergarten to the 12th year, state agencies, police, soldiers and key players in the business sector.

“The prioritization of poorly served and rural communities means ensuring that the formation of AI and cybersecurity is available far beyond major cities and universities,” said Dr. Kollin Napier, who was also recently appointed by Reeves as Chairman of the IA of the State.

In June, the state has invested at least $ 37 million In the education and training of AI through a mixture of subsidies, federal financing of the Actre Act and joint efforts with Microsoft, C Spire, Amazon Web Services and NvidiaAccording to the Mississippi Development Authority.

Concerns about critical thinking

Since universities and managers are focusing on the development of the next generation of AI professionals, Mississippi K-12 schools set the foundations earlier-help students learn to use AI tools in a thoughtful and ethical way from the start.

Although AI can open new doors in class, some kindergarten educators to the 12th year are worried, it could quietly close others – especially when used without clear limits.

“In fact, I am not sold on it yet,” said Jordan Davis, group director at West Wortham Middle School in Saucier. “I don't think we have to depend on this, but I think it must be more like a help tool.”

Davis said he had already seen students jumping important steps by asking AI to simple answers instead of taking the time to solve the problems themselves.

“It is difficult for them to correct a problem or find a problem, because critical thinking is something that has just been slowly engraved,” he said.

He said that his concern is that an increasing dependence on technology will create long -term problems – especially when he changes the way people think about problem solving and the advantages that accompany the search for solutions to yourself.

“Working through adversity is the way people learn,” he said.

This concern is supported by international research. At 2025 sTudy by Michael Gerlich At the Swiss Business School found that students who regularly count on AI to answer questions were considerably lower than the critical thinking tests than those who did not do so.

“While AI tools offer undeniable advantages in terms of efficiency and accessibility, they can inadvertently commitment from users in deep and reflective reflection processes,” wrote Gerlich.

IA in action

For school districts that have adopted AI, such as Pearl and Ocean Springs, implementation begins by teaching students how to use new technologies in a responsible manner.

Pearl was among the first Mississippi districts to integrate AI tools into daily learning. Teachers use technology to help students write articles, get comments and revise their work in real time.

“I have a teacher who has developed an AI that can actually give them instant comments,” said Superintendent Chris Chism. “So now, instead of writing paper every 10 to 12 days, we write one every two days.”

Chism said that speed was not the only goal. The district is also focused on teaching students in the functioning of AI – and how to use it in a responsible manner.

“It is the ethics of education as well as the use of AI with college and high school students,” said Chism. “This is the biggest problem … Teaching them the basics of its operation, teaching them ethics and teaching them the tools to be used.”

Pearl has since become a model for other school systems. CHISM said that he was educators made up of 44 school districts so far, with more planned in the coming months.

At Ocean Springs High School, the director of the theater Chris Perment said that AI helps students explore new creative directions – from script analysis to costume design.

“They are able to say:” This is the piece I want “, or even seek a costume or a design of sets,” said percept. “The AI gives them a list of options, they can modify it, explore ideas and move forward.”

Students use AI for everything, from blocking the scenes to a batinming beats or to cross the writer's block. During the Scottish theme of last year's Scottish theme of “The Lost Boys”, perment said that students used AI to identify source equipment, find a historical context and develop visual ideas.

However, it draws a clear line: the tool can take care of art – but not replace it.

“Do not let him replace yourself as an artist or as a human,” said perment. “Your words count. Your art counts, and just because it tells you that purple is the right color – do not always go with it. ”

This article appeared for the first time on Rhcjc and is republished here under a Creative Commons Assignment 4.0 International license.