This AI-Run School Has No “Teachers” and Kids Learn In Just Two Hours
There are new private schools popping up that are running on AI with no “teachers,” and they offer just two hours of instruction. Details ahead.
April 6 2026, Published 1:04 p.m. ET
Artificial intelligence (AI) has expanded its capabilities in ways no one thought possible. And it seems those capabilities just keep extending even further as time goes on. Case in point is how people are leveraging it in their home-selling experience. Take the South Florida homeowner who used ChatGPT to sell his home in just a week, cutting out the need for a realtor.
And now, we’re learning that AI is making its way into classrooms, changing the entire landscape of learning as we know it. The school being spotlighted for integrating AI programs into its curriculum is called Alpha Schools, and no, there won’t be any teachers there. Keep reading for all the details.
These new schools are run by AI with no “teachers,” and they offer just two hours of instruction.
AI is making its way into businesses, lifestyles, and everyday conversations on the regular. And now, it’s directly being used to facilitate a curriculum for K-8 students, and even high school. The school doing it is called Alpha Schools, and yes, it’s a private school, so it does come at a cost for students to attend.
Alpha Schools describes itself as an “AI-powered private school.” Unlike traditional schools, Alpha has students complete their academics in just two hours using AI technology that is personalized and tailored to their level, giving them plenty of free time in the afternoon to focus on activities that help them build their real-world skillset.
So, are there any teachers? Not exactly. Instead, there are adults in the classroom helping facilitate learning and engagement. These adults are called “guides,” and their job is to help students navigate the learning apps, aka AI tools, that are responsible for teaching concepts. When they’re not using AI to learn, students participate in workshops that cater to their passions and interests, which is where those real-world skill-building activities come in.
Here’s what a typical day looks like at Alpha Schools.
According to founder Mackenzie Price, students arrive around 8:45 am and start with a group activity that focuses on growth mindset and helps them decide what to focus on for the day ahead. They then move into a two-hour learning block covering core subjects like reading, math, language arts, science, and social studies.
During that time, students spend about 25 minutes per subject learning with an AI tutor, and they get to work at their own pace. Price claims that by doing this, her students learn “twice as fast” as those in traditional schools. And once academics are complete, the students spend the remainder of their day engaging in activities that are designed to develop life skills such as public speaking, leadership, teamwork, communication, and social skills, and of which is done through workshops.
Basically, the AI school isn’t looking to eliminate teachers from the learning experience, but rather change the delivery and reshape how learning happens. It’s worth noting that the school is “using the same curriculum that students in the classroom are learning from. This is not ChatGPT coming up with made-up questions,” according to Price, per CBS News.
Now, there are 22 Alpha Schools open across the U.S., with locations in states like Texas, Florida, New York, and Arizona. While the school is actively looking for more students to enroll, the yearly tuition is pretty steep, coming in at around $55,000 per student, CBS News notes.
That said, the website does state that tuition is “inclusive” and parents won’t have to participate in fundraising activities. It also includes activities, like a trip to Formula 1 or Poland, per the school’s website.