The American Historical Association announces the publication of Guiding Principles for Artificial Intelligence in History Education.
In 2023, the AHA Council established an Ad Hoc Committee on Artificial Intelligence in History Education to develop guidelines for the safe, ethical, and pedagogically sound integration of AI in history education at all levels. Drawing on the results of a 2024 survey of AHA members, the committee developed a disciplinary approach to AI that focuses on specific aspects of history education that might not be addressed in broader institutional policies.
The capabilities and limitations of generative artificial intelligence (generative AI) are evolving rapidly enough that specific recommendations become obsolete within months or even weeks. With this context in mind, the committee proposed 14 foundational principles meant to assist educators and administrators in crafting AI policies suited to local circumstances and the specific needs of students. On July 29, 2025, Council approved the Committee’s Guiding Principles for AI in History Education.
Generative AI offers opportunities to improve teaching and student learning, but it has undeniable limitations. “If students rely on generative AI without developing their own skills,” the Guiding Principles assert, “they risk entering an unproductive loop: minimal engagement leads to an inability to properly assess outputs, which leads to an uncritical acceptance of flawed material. Our goal is to foster a different trajectory, whereby generative AI is seen as a tool that supports the pursuit of knowledge, not a shortcut that replaces meaningful work.”
Historical thinking matters, and today’s students will need to rely on habits of mind at the core of our discipline to thrive in an age of AI.