A Metaphor for Rethinking Artificial Intelligence in/and Education

Like Alice’s journey through the looking glass, so-called “Artificial Intelligence” (AI) in education distorts familiar truths revealing uncomfortable reflections of systemic values and biases. Drawing on metaphor theories and ecological models of technology, the paper shows how dominant metaphors shape educational imaginaries and policy responses. It critiques the anthropomorphic rhetoric surrounding “AI”, arguing that common framings, such as “tool” or “tutor”, obscure its statistical nature and legitimize systems that entrench efficiency and control under the guise of neutrality. The mirror metaphor reframes these technologies not as “intelligent” but as reflective surfaces, exposing the cultural, political, and pedagogical assumptions coded into their design and deployment. Through this lens, technologies like LLMs, proctoring systems, and predictive analytics reveal distorted priorities—personalization that conceals standardization, automation that amplifies bias, and efficiency that overrides pedagogical depth. Crucially, the mirror reveals what remains unseen: emotional nuance, creativity, collaborative dynamics, and broader social context. These blind spots are compounded when institutions misread the reflection, adopting punitive or cost-saving policies that deepen existing inequities. Ultimately, the mirror metaphor serves as a catalyst, demanding we look beyond technical functionality to confront the societal reflection. It connects educational dilemmas concerning digital technologies to broader existential crises driven by capitalism and narrow definitions of progress. Arguing that reactive fixes are insufficient, the paper calls for a fundamental reimagining of education’s purpose towards ecological awareness, social justice, community empowerment, and critical pedagogy—using the mirror not just to critique, but to inspire the transformation of the educational systems and societal structures it reflects.