AI In Education

SA to roll out ChatGPT-style AI app in all high schools

dean

15 Sep 2025 • 1 min read

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Summary

South Australian high schools are set to introduce a ChatGPT-style AI app, marking one of the most ambitious statewide deployments of artificial intelligence in Australian education. Developed by EdChat, the tool is designed to act as a classroom assistant, supporting students with personalised learning and easing teacher workload.

While Education Minister Blair Boyer has pitched the rollout as a way to prepare students for an AI-driven future, experts are urging caution. Concerns centre on over-reliance, data privacy, and the potential erosion of critical thinking skills. Some mental health advocates also warn that unrestricted use could complicate the classroom dynamic rather than simplify it.

Despite these concerns, schools such as Adelaide Botanic High are already trialling the system. Teachers and students report that the AI helps explain concepts in plain language, though educators remain mindful of the balance between assistance and dependency.

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Reflection

From my perspective, this rollout captures the double-edged nature of AI in education. On one hand, students need exposure to the tools that will shape their future careers; on the other, schools risk outsourcing too much of the learning process. Teachers are already stretched, so it makes sense to give them a digital assistant, but that assistant must be carefully framed as a supplement, not a replacement.

The most striking part of this story is the tension between optimism and caution. It’s exciting that entire state systems are now experimenting with AI in structured ways, but it also highlights how quickly the policy debate needs to catch up. Without clear safeguards, the “AI assistant” could morph from a learning aid into a shortcut, and once habits form, they’ll be hard to unwind.