I Thought AI Would Make Teaching Impersonal — Then I Attended ISTE Live

In "I Thought AI Would Make Teaching Impersonal — Then I Attended ISTE Live", Natalia Galaburda takes readers on her journey from skepticism to optimism about artificial intelligence in education. Drawing from her experiences as a former economics and tourism management educator and current M.Ed. candidate, she reflects on key moments and stories from ISTE Live ASCD 2025 that transformed her perspective. Through vivid examples—from AI tools freeing teachers to focus on deeper conversations, to technology amplifying imagination, to breaking language barriers for multilingual learners—Galaburda shows how AI, when used thoughtfully, can strengthen rather than weaken human connection in the classroom. This reflective piece blends personal narrative, conference insights, and a call for ethically grounded, student-centered innovation in the age of AI.