Will AI Replace Teachers? A Lesson from the Movie The Karate Kid

By Chad Lesausky

chad@sunriseclassroom.ai

X.com: @clesausky

LinkedIn

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Growing up in the heart of the Midwest where your neighbor to the East is a farmer and your neighbor to the West is a factory worker I would often hear people asking if one day technology and automation would take our jobs. Reflecting on those times it's important to keep in mind that technology has always reshaped the way we work. The cotton gin. The assembly line. The personal computer. Each of these innovations changed the world of work, but none of them eliminated our need for human ingenuity, compassion, and leadership.

Today, I hear that same question about teaching: Will AI replace teachers?

It’s a fair question and to answer it I want to take you back to a movie many of us grew up with, The Karate Kid.

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Mr. Miyagi and the Heart of Teaching

In The Karate Kid, Daniel is a teenager struggling to find his way. He wants to learn karate to defend himself. But his teacher, Mr. Miyagi, doesn’t start with kicks and punches. He starts with chores. Wax on, wax off. Paint the fence. Sand the floor.

At first, Daniel doesn’t understand. It feels silly. It feels like a trick. But what Mr. Miyagi is doing is far deeper. He’s teaching discipline, patience, and muscle memory. He’s showing Daniel that mastery isn’t about quick results. It’s about habits, mindset, and character.

Now, here’s the truth. An AI can show Daniel thousands of karate moves on a screen. It can give feedback on his form. However, it can’t look him in the eye, notice his frustration, and remind him why perseverance matters. It can’t put a hand on his shoulder and say, “Breathe. Focus. You can do this.”

That’s the heart of teaching and that’s not replaceable.

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What AI Can Do, and What It Can’t

I’ve spent enough time with technologists to know that AI can be a powerful assistant. It can help teachers grade faster, draft lesson plans more quickly, and even tailor practice problems to each student’s needs. That’s real value, it frees teachers to do the deeper work of mentoring and motivating.

AI cannot however, build trust with a child who’s having a hard time at home. It can’t create that spark when a student suddenly gets it, when their eyes light up and they see themselves differently.

At its best, teaching is about forming human connections. It’s about unlocking the potential that a student may not see in themselves. And that’s something no machine can replicate.

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The Real Question

So instead of asking, “Will AI replace teachers?” we should ask, “How can AI support teachers?”

Can it reduce busywork so a teacher has more time to listen to a student who’s struggling? Can it provide insights into how students are learning, so teachers can adapt and reach kids more effectively? Can it extend the reach of great educators so more students benefit from their wisdom?

If the answer is yes, and I believe it can be, then AI becomes less of a threat, and more of a partner.

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A Lesson Worth Remembering

In the final scenes of The Karate Kid, Daniel wins the tournament. But the real victory isn’t the trophy. It’s the transformation, the confidence, resilience, and discipline that Mr. Miyagi helped him build.

That’s what great teachers do every single day. They help students become the best version of themselves. AI might change the tools we use in education, but it will never replace the human beings who do the hard, patient, deeply human work of teaching.

Because at the end of the day, we don’t just need students who can solve equations or write essays. We need citizens who can think critically, care deeply, and stand up for what’s right. And that requires teachers, real, flesh-and-blood teachers, guiding them along the way.

So no, AI won’t replace teachers. But if we’re smart, it can give them more time, more insight, and more capacity to do what they do best: help our kids grow.

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