Some wealthy people are even entrusting their children's education to AI.
The Wall Street Journal reports that more and more wealthy parents are choosing to send their children to schools that employ AI-powered education systems.
Wealthy Families Swap Traditional Classrooms for AI Tutors and 'Alternative' Schools - WSJ
Some of the nation's rich are letting AI teach their kids | The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/961505/wealthy-ai-schools-alpha-forge-prep
Uncle Jane, the president of a hedge fund, has an 11-year-old son named Arjan. Arjan attends a public school in Madison, New Jersey, and apparently enjoys school life and does well academically. Jane also had no complaints about the school Arjan attends.
However, Jane became interested in a new school opening in nearby Livingston called 'Forge Prep.' This school is said to be very practical, offering courses in real-world problem-solving, business development, and product design.
In particular, Forge Prep appealed to Jane's entrepreneurial spirit because it allowed her son to learn negotiation skills, sales skills, and public speaking skills—skills that Jane herself hadn't acquired until her twenties.
Jane explains her preference for Forge Prep over public schools by saying, 'The future is changing. If we continue to educate our children the same way we did 60, 70, or 80 years ago, how can we prepare them for the future?'
Forge Prep is scheduled to open in the fall of 2026, initially with 34 students across four grade levels. It will eventually accept students up to grade 12 (the third year of high school), bringing the total enrollment to around 400 students. Graduates who establish a company after graduation and work full-time for it will be eligible for a $200,000 (approximately 32 million yen) investment from Forge Prep.
Tuition fees for the first year at Forge Prep range from $24,000 to $36,000 (approximately 3.9 million to 5.8 million yen), and 30% of students are eligible for scholarships and other financial aid. However, tuition fees are scheduled to increase to $60,000 (approximately 9.7 million yen) in 2027.
Forge Prep's technology policy includes 'no smartphone use' and 'minimal use of Chromebooks.' All instructors are former teachers, and the children are expected to use AI 'for creation, not consumption.'
Forge Prep
Alternative education is gaining attention among high-income parents like Jane. The Wall Street Journal reports that families who can afford to send their children to top-tier kindergartens are exploring new options.
High-income families prioritize life skills and are looking for schools where teachers are referred to as 'guides' or 'coaches.' Some schools are even using AI-based tutors to customize the curriculum to each child's individual needs.
Parents considering alternative options believe that AI is likely to have a significant impact on the economy and that traditional learning methods will no longer be effective. In fact, the materials for Forge Prep, the school Jane chose for her son, emphasize that it is 'a school built for 2040, not 1940.' Forge Prep also states that AI tutors and small-group, hands-on learning provide opportunities for a more personalized curriculum.
The Wall Street Journal points out that, unlike public schools, these schools are not required to report metrics to the state, making it difficult to assess their relative effectiveness.
Besides Forge Prep, there are other schools that offer alternative education. Alpha School, which caters to students from kindergarten through 8th grade (equivalent to the second year of junior high school in Japan), was founded in Austin, Texas in 2014 and has expanded to eight schools across the United States, including San Francisco and New York, as of 2025. Furthermore, it is a popular school with plans to open an additional 20 schools in the fall of 2026.
Sean Johnson, a venture capitalist living in San Francisco, plans to send his son to Alpha School. Alpha School's preschool program includes two hours of AI-powered individualized instruction followed by interactive, project-based workshops. The annual tuition for Alpha School's preschool is $75,000 (approximately 12 million yen).
Johnson was dissatisfied with the public kindergarten his son was scheduled to attend and decided to send him to Alpha School instead. 'I recognize that there are problems with the current education system, and I believe that entrepreneurs will soon emerge who will try to improve it. What is needed is not rote memorization of knowledge in a specific field, but the development of individuals who can think flexibly and navigate the world,' Johnson said.
Johnson says that Alpha School's greatest appeal is 'the personalized learning methods it provides to children.' Alpha School uses AI to record students' learning progress, especially their concentration levels. Based on the student's learning achievements, the subsequent learning curriculum is then modified.
Alpha School's fans include billionaire Bill Ackman. According to an Alpha School spokesperson, in-person guides (teachers) at Alpha School receive salaries of over $100,000 (approximately 16 million yen). In addition, they employ several remote coaches (teachers) who provide support for their AI software.
According to an Alpha School spokesperson, many parents who send their children to Alpha School in New York work in the financial industry, including venture capital, or are entrepreneurs. Meanwhile, parents who send their children to Alpha School in the Bay Area are primarily employed in technology-related fields.
Professor Caroline Hoxby of Stanford University points out that project-based learning, like that offered at Forge Prep and Alpha School, has existed for centuries. What makes these schools new, she says, is that they offer hybrid programs that incorporate AI.
Professor Hoxby pointed out that there is a growing awareness, particularly among parents working in the technology industry, that AI will replace routine and pattern-based thinking. 'They are very keen to let their children use unconventional tools,' he said.
However, Professor Hoxby also points out that the effectiveness of AI-based learning is still largely unknown. He further states, 'I would never support education that lacks scientific and empirical evidence,' expressing a negative view of AI-based education.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Alpha School stated, 'Alpha School collaborates with world-renowned learning scientists who contribute to building AI models based on decades of foundational research,' refuting Professor Hoxby's claim that it is 'education without scientific or empirical evidence.'
Lenzi Stone, who runs a small marketing company, pays $800 a month for Alpha School's home learning software for her 9th-grade son. Stone says she has spent more than $300,000 on her two children's education so far.
Stone stated that while she is happy with the school's culture and community, she is disappointed with the academic performance. She argues that AI can make students' screen time far more productive, and says, 'I think this is a major turning point for our country, and we need to fundamentally rethink our curriculum.'
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