AI is here to stay. Whether we welcome it or not, it is now embedded in everyday life. For Scottish education, the question is no longer whether we engage with AI, but how we do so in ways that align with our values and priorities.

Before this is dismissed as another uncritical endorsement, let me be clear: this is not about adopting AI for its own sake. Rather, it is about understanding where it can add value to the work of educators and learners and, very importantly, where it should not. As with all aspects of improvement, this requires careful, evidence-informed consideration.

My own interest in AI began as a pupil at Gairloch High School, where I now serve as headteacher. At the time, AI formed part of the Higher computing course through programming in Prolog. It felt theoretical and distant from classroom practice.

Accelerated opportunity and uncertainty

In my early teaching career, that interest continued through exploring early chatbots and tools designed to support efficiency and reduce workload. This was well before the emergence of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT in 2022, which have since accelerated both opportunity and uncertainty across the system.

Initial experimentation quickly gave way to more strategic questions. How can AI support high-quality learning and teaching? How can it enhance professional judgement rather than undermine it? And crucially, how do we ensure its use reflects the principles of Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence (CfE), supporting pupils to become - in the terms made familiar by CfE - successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors?

As Professor Rose Luckin has stated, “there are no experts, only learners”. In a rapidly evolving landscape, this is an important reminder. It reflects the need for a learning system in which educators engage critically and collaboratively with modern technologies.

However, current discourse does not always reflect this. Social media and professional spaces are increasingly populated by those marketing AI “expertise”. While some contributions are helpful, there is often a lack of depth, particularly in relation to key considerations such as data protection, safeguarding and equity.

These are not peripheral issues; they sit at the heart of our responsibilities under GIRFEC (Getting It Right For Every Child) and our wider duty of care to children and young people.

What remains consistent, however, is the power of professional collaboration. The How good is our school? (HGIOS4) inspection framework places a strong emphasis on self-evaluation, collective responsibility and leadership at all levels.

High-quality professional dialogue, where practitioners can evaluate ideas, challenge assumptions and share practice, is central to meaningful improvement.

Creating space for open dialogue

Following attendance at an AI in education conference at King’s College London last year, it became clear that Scotland has an opportunity to strengthen this collaborative approach. While there are local and national developments, there is currently no independent, cross-sector network focused specifically on AI in education.

Over the past year, I have been engaging with colleagues to establish AICE.scot (click on the link to become a member), a collaborative network of educators, leaders and partners committed to ensuring that AI enhances rather than erodes educational experiences, outcomes and future societies.

The intention is not to disrupt existing structures, but to complement them by creating space for open, constructive dialogue across sectors.

By bringing together practitioners, policymakers, researchers and edtech, we can better align emerging practice with national priorities, including equity, inclusion and improved outcomes for all learners.

In doing so, we can ensure that AI supports rather than distracts from our core purpose. AICE.scot will formally launch on Friday 12 June at the University of Edinburgh, as part of the AI in Scottish Schools - Senior School and Education Leaders conference.

When considering AI, I return to a simple principle: start with the human, end with the human. Technology should support professional judgement, not replace it. It should enhance relationships, not diminish them.

If we are to realise the potential of AI within Scottish education, we must do so collectively, thoughtfully and with a clear focus on what matters most: improving outcomes for our children and young people.

Stuart Caddell is headteacher at Gairloch High School, on the west coast of the Scottish Highlands