Michael Black: Ditch outdated school subjects - AI must be taught from primary school

Entrepreneur and education thought leader Michael Black is calling for a radical overhaul of the Australian curriculum, warning that students will be left behind unless artificial intelligence (AI) is introduced from primary school and taught consistently through to high school.
 

"AI isn't coming, it's already here," Black said.
 

"It's taking jobs, transforming industries and rewriting the rules of success. If we don't prepare our kids now, we are failing them."
 

Black argues that while some schools continue to limit students' access to AI, Australia should be doing the exact opposite embedding AI learning as a core subject, replacing outdated curriculum content that no longer serves students in the real world.
 

Black is known for his educational and learning insights having founded one of the country's fastest growing franchise business, Success Tutoring.
 

"We're still teaching subjects and skills designed for a 20th-century workforce. That's not just inefficient, it's negligent," he said.
 

"Instead of restricting AI, we need to normalise it. Kids should learn how to use AI the same way they learn to read and write because their future depends on it."
 

According to Black, AI is already replacing entry-level and knowledge-based jobs across industries including media, finance, design, logistics, customer service, and administration. But while jobs are disappearing, new roles are emerging and those who know how to work with AI will earn more, innovate faster, and lead the next generation of business and technology.
 

"AI is a career accelerator for those who embrace it. We're not talking about the distant future — we're talking about teenagers graduating into a job market that already demands AI fluency," Black said.
 

He says AI literacy should start as early as primary school, not just in STEM-focused pathways but across creative, social and analytical domains.
 

"This is about critical thinking, ethical decision-making and practical skills. Students should learn how to use AI to problem-solve, create, test and collaborate. It's a universal tool and one of the most powerful learning companions we have."

Black also stresses that increasing AI education doesn't mean increasing screen time or abandoning human connection. It means training students to use powerful tools with awareness, curiosity and responsibility.
 

"This is not about replacing teachers or traditional values. It's about evolving the way we learn to reflect the world we live in. AI can enhance education but only if we teach it with intention and urgency," Black said.
 

He's calling on education policymakers to audit the national curriculum, remove legacy content that no longer aligns with modern skill demands, and make space for AI to be taught as a standalone literacy, much like numeracy or digital fluency.
 

"If we don't teach AI, we're not preparing students, we're protecting a system. And that system is already outdated."
 

Black went one step further and said that he understands that educators are worried that AI is going to take their jobs.
 

"The reality is that AI is going to take jobs away in the teaching sector as well. We know this. Failing to adopt AI learning in schools because you are scared of losing your job yourself is short- sighted. AI is coming whether you like it or not, so embrace it. Those that do, will thrive, regardless of their industry," he added.
 

"It is about utilising tools to enhance efficiency, outcomes and preparedness. This is where the good opportunities lie."
 

About Success Tutoring

Founded by Michael Black in 2017, Success Tutoring is Australia's fastest growing education centre with multiple locations and a further 150 cities planned worldwide by 2026. The company offers weekly tutoring sessions in English and math for students aged five to 17, with a school readiness program for kids even younger, and selective school exam preparation tutoring also available. The Success Model not only empowers students to work at their own pace towards progress but also finds success in the social aspect of students coming together and working as a community of students to find motivation, inspiration and a lifelong love of learning.
 

https://successtutoring.com.au/