Dr. Victoria Fudge believes AI tutors can become a valuable part of the classroom, but only when they are designed to support teachers rather than replace them.

As Director of Instructional Technology at IDEA Public Schools, Victoria works across a large education system serving around 84,000 students and more than 160 campuses.

In this episode of Strategic Syncing, Victoria joins James Symons to talk about what AI tutors actually look like in practice, how they can personalise learning, and why implementation matters more than simply choosing the right tool.

Victoria draws on her experience implementing AI tutors in classrooms and on her doctoral research into student perspectives on AI tutoring.

She explains how a teacher can design an AI tutor around a student’s needs, background knowledge, language, learning gaps and even personal interests.

That can help students access concepts in ways that make more sense to them while giving teachers additional insight into where support is needed.

But Victoria is clear that teachers remain essential.

AI tutors do not replace the knowledge teachers have about their students or the relationships that make learning possible.

The conversation also explores how schools should prepare students for an AI-enabled workforce, why AI literacy needs to begin early, and what education can learn from previous technology rollouts.

Victoria argues that schools should resist the temptation to move too quickly simply because AI is the latest buzzword.

Instead, implementation needs to be intentional, supported and designed around clear learning outcomes.

James and Victoria also discuss change management, helping educators move through fear, protecting student data, reducing EdTech tool sprawl, and why leaders need to focus on quality rather than quantity.

This episode is a practical conversation about AI tutors, teachers, students and how schools can introduce new technology without losing sight of the people it is supposed to support.