“When we look back over the long arc of history, there are eras in which society altogether changed. We give them names: the reformation, the enlightenment, the industrial revolution, postmodernity, and now in this digital era, the AI transformation.”

 

– McCrindle Research

Schools are, by nature, all about relationships. Trust is the bedrock of any successful relationship, and it’s no different when it comes to the connection between parents and schools. However, the rise of AI is adding a new layer of complexity to this relationship. While AI has the potential to make life easier in many ways, it also has a tendency to erode trust.

Recent data* tells a pretty clear story of this…

• 66% are unwilling to trust AI or are unsure
• 71% believe the impact of AI on society is uncertain and unpredictable
• 73% are concerned about the risks associated with AI

But here’s the thing: it’s not the school’s job to make parents trust the technology itself. That’s a huge ask! Instead, the focus should be on ensuring that parents trust the school. The tricky part is, if parents don’t trust the technology, they are likely to lose trust in the school that’s using it. A simple way to put it –

If they don’t trust the tool, they won’t trust the school!

So how do we seek to solve his dilemma?

We’ve all heard it before—transparency is crucial. But in the age of AI, it’s more important than ever.

When I asked about the topic of marketing to parents in the age of AI, GPT said itself:

“In the age of AI, transparency is key.” – Chat GPT

AI churns out a staggering amount of information, and there are growing concerns about how accurate or reliable that information is. And we all know that the line between what’s real and what’s been generated by AI is becoming increasingly blurry.

For schools seeking to be transparent, this means being open and upfront about how AI is being used in your school. An example in the context of school marketing – if a parent is chatting with an AI-powered bot on your website, make sure you make it very clear that they’re interacting with AI and not a human. This kind of honesty sets the right expectations and builds trust right from the start.

Transparency also shouldn’t just be incidental or a one-off effort – it needs to be intentional, and woven into the entire parent experience. At Feesable, we see transparency in practice through our school fee calculator, which provides clarity around fees early in the enrolment journey – parents who use our calculator arrive at school tours or open events already feeling informed and confident, with a level of trust already established.

Here’s a few simple take-away’s to apply at your school and in your strategies today…

We all know that privacy is a major factor when it comes to AI. Parents are more concerned than ever about how data is being handled. While most schools have solid data policies, AI introduces new challenges that need to be addressed. Parents want to know exactly what data you’re collecting, how it’s being used, and who it’s being shared with.

“75% of people say they would be more willing to trust AI when assurance mechanisms are in place.” *

But it’s not just about ticking the legal boxes – a link to the privacy statement in the footer of the website or on the policies page is really just bare minimum these days.

Again this comes back to transparency – as school marketers you need to be thinking about how to address the concerns parents have at key touch points and proactively communicate your privacy practices, rather than stashing the information away on you website and leaving parents to try find the information themselves.

This is also to say that it’s not just the job of the risk or business team, but that marketing teams also have a big role to play here, ensuring that these important conversations are happening with leadership and that the school’s stance on privacy is crystal clear across the whole parent experience.

At the end of the day, trust comes back to human connection. Even though technology is playing a bigger role in our lives, the most meaningful interactions are still those between people.

“Gen Z participants reported 84% expressed a preference for chatbots over humans for mental health support…” *

While younger generations might be more comfortable with doing their life online, big decisions—like choosing a school—still come down to authentic human connections.

The best use of technology, including AI, is to enhance human connection rather than replace it.

For instance, AI can handle tasks that don’t require a personal touch, freeing up time for more meaningful interactions. At Feesable, our fee calculator does just that—working out fees is just maths, not an overly relational exercise in itself – but by helping parents quickly get the they need about fees, it removes barriers and clears the way for a meaningful conversation with a human.

However, it’s important to recognise that not all AI implementations are beneficial. AI that has been poorly implemented, like generic chatbots added to a website without much thought or care, can easily detract from the quality of the parent experience. If AI isn’t truly adding value, it’s best to hold off on implementing it until it is done well.

So, how is your school fostering genuine human connections in this current age of AI?

As we continue to embrace AI in our marketing efforts, it’s vital to remember that technology should be a tool to enhance human connection, not to substitute it.

The schools that will flourish in this ‘age of AI’ are those that can effectively put transparency into practice, and find the right balance between innovative technology and the meaningful personal connections that only real human interaction can provide.

At Feesable, transparency has always been a significant driver for our School Fee Calculator, and we’re now working hard to bring AI into our offering in meaningful ways to augment the experience and ultimately foster better human connections at your school.

Book a call to learn how Feesable can help your school put transparency into practice.