Adrian Camm, principal of Westbourne Grammar School in Australia, has taken that unconventional leap into the ed-tech space. He’s built a prototype “digital twin” of himself with generative artificial intelligence (AI). This cutting-edge arts-based approach is a testament to Camm’s commitment to advancing the practice of Teaching Artists. It coincides beautifully with the new Australian Framework for Generative Artificial Intelligence in Schools. Our final framework is meant to help schools leverage AI responsibly and productively, opening doors to a new horizon of learning.
Camm’s AI twin is an amazing likeness. In the demo, it convincingly replicates his voice and can even display small facial expressions, such as twitching eyebrows. With the AI able to chat with students in over 100 different languages from Korean to Ukrainian, the potential for expanded communication continues to grow. With only 15 minutes of recorded speech, Camm was able to successfully clone his voice, recreating the unique characteristics of his Australian accent.
Impact on Student Learning
AI has produced some amazing outcomes with its introduction into the classrooms. Katherine Gonzaga, an educator at Westbourne Grammar, shared powerful evidence of how impactful the practice was in turning her students into accomplished writers. Each year, students have more than doubled the number of pieces they have written. They now crank out a staggering 1,500 words an hour with AI tools at their side.
“What I’ve done is created a version of myself that can greatly scale my impact,” Camm elaborated. He thinks that with this technology he can reach out to kids outside the confines of a normal school day. To create better learning experiences, Westbourne Grammar is currently harnessing different AI applications, including ChatGPT and Google Gemini. Further, they are personally dedicated to making sure that every tool matches up to their extremely strict internal guidelines.
Adrian Camm’s digital project shows the growing wave of passionate educators. In this case, AI serves as a multiplier, improving on old-school in-person instruction rather than supplanting it. Referring to the role of schools in instruction, he raised a crucial question, “If schools aren’t teaching students how to use this technology safely, effectively, and ethically, then who will?”
Ethical Use of AI in Education
As exciting as the prospects for AI integration into educational environments are, fears remain about the risks associated with these technologies. Senior lecturer at UNSW, Jake Renzella, raised concerns about the overreliance on AI. Martin Graham, then deputy secretary at the NSW Education Department, made one critical point. He reassured terrified educators that there is absolutely no plan to replace teachers with AI.
Graham defended the materials as entirely age-appropriate for students. He promised that it will not subject them to any harmful material. We loved how he stressed the value of establishing a safe environment where students feel comfortable exploring AI tools. The EduChat chatbot, which the Department of Education created, is a good illustration of these safeguards. Our program has always been centered around materials directly tailored to the state syllabus. Since early 2024, it has rolled out to 50 public schools throughout New South Wales.
“We call it safe AI because if you’re using EduChat the data stays within the department’s system.” – Martin Graham
Students at Plumpton High School have been at the forefront of teaching themselves to use EduChat to further their academic efforts. With features that allow students to create video games and generate images with simple prompts, AI offers exciting new opportunities for creativity and engagement.
The Future of AI in Schools
As schools become more dependent on AI technologies, conversations about their impact on students’ critical thinking and creativity must be prioritized. Student Amanda had very clear thoughts on the dangers of over-relying on these tools. Roma, a student from Westbourne Grammar School, told the summit she was worried about AI “taking over.” She argues that without being willing to change, we are in danger of losing our ability to think critically. That’s why she loves EduChat—it fortifies our collective intellectual muscle.
As we mentioned previously here, technology has the unique power to mitigate gaps in skills and knowledge. As one young girl yelled out, “Not everybody knows how to create something like this. With a laptop, anybody, all of us, no matter how old or how smart we are, can create that.” Annacemone echoed similar sentiments about AI’s role in enhancing literacy skills: “It’s in no way taking over our thinking, but rather pushing us to improve literacy skills.”
