Wealthy Families Turn to AI for Education, Lacking Human Touch
WHO:
Fast Company - Jean-Claude Brizard is president and CEO of Digital Promise; Tequilla Brownie, EdD is CEO of TNTP.
The Verge - Shaun Johnson is a San Francisco-based venture capitalist; MacKenzie Price is co-founder of Alpha School.
WHAT:
The Verge - Shaun Johnson plans to send his son to a $75,000 per year Alpha Kindergarten, stating, “We recognize that education is likely broken the way it is and there’s going to be entrepreneurs that try to fix it… You want someone to be able to think on their feet and navigate the world, not necessarily a recitation of facts in a particular discipline.”
The Verge - Alpha School co-founder MacKenzie Price has stated she plans to keep “hot-button social issues” out of the classroom, which could include topics like women’s rights, America’s history of slavery, and immigration.
Fast Company - Digital Promise and TNTP aim to reach 15 million students by 2028 with learning experiences that use AI to build learning and judgment.
The Verge - Companies like Forge Prep and Alpha School are charging families tens of thousands of dollars for AI tutoring and workshops.
The Verge - Alpha Kindergarten costs $75,000 per year.
WHERE:
The Verge - Silicon Valley is a major adopter of AI education models.
WHEN:
Fast Company - Students currently in kindergarten will enter the workforce in 2037.
Fast Company - The partnership between Digital Promise and TNTP will focus on proving what works over the next three years.
WHY:
Fast Company - There is a need to build human capacity to use AI effectively in education as routine work is automated.
The Verge - Shaun Johnson believes education is broken and entrepreneurs will try to fix it.
HOW:
The Verge - Companies like Forge do not share performance metrics, leading to a lack of evidence regarding whether AI-guided private schools are improving educational outcomes.
Fast Company - Oregon has built a coherent pipeline from K-12 through workforce, issuing early guidance on AI literacy and partnering with local universities and companies.
Fast Company - The partnership will co-design tools with educators, run pilots, and produce implementation guidance for other districts.
The Verge - Alpha School plans to keep "hot-button social issues" out of the classroom.
(UPDATED July 6, 2026 16:06 UTC)
Shaun Johnson has announced plans to enroll his son in a $75,000 per year Alpha Kindergarten, emphasizing the need for a new approach to education that fosters critical thinking rather than rote memorization. Meanwhile, co-founder MacKenzie Price has indicated that the school will avoid discussing "hot-button social issues," which may include sensitive topics like women's rights and the history of slavery in America. However, companies like Forge, which are involved in AI-guided private education, do not provide performance metrics, leaving questions about their effectiveness in improving educational outcomes.
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(UPDATED July 6, 2026 14:13 UTC)
Digital Promise, led by Jean-Claude Brizard, and TNTP, headed by Tequilla Brownie, EdD, are collaborating to reach 15 million students by 2028, focusing on AI-driven learning experiences. In Silicon Valley, companies like Alpha School, co-founded by MacKenzie Price, are charging families significant fees, with Alpha Kindergarten priced at $75,000 per year, as they aim to address perceived shortcomings in education. Meanwhile, Oregon is creating a comprehensive pipeline from K-12 to the workforce, emphasizing AI literacy and partnering with local universities to develop effective educational tools.