The AI Replacement Problem | Critical Thinking Scenario | Ethics & Technology | Years 3–6.

Looking for a high-engagement, real-world critical thinking activity?

The AI Replacement Problem challenges students to explore the impact of artificial intelligence on jobs, decision-making, and society through an engaging, open-ended scenario.

Students must decide, design, and justify their thinking while tackling a complex, future-focused problem.

What’s the Scenario?

A company wants to replace workers with AI.

AI could:

✔ Work faster

✔ Reduce costs

✔ Improve efficiency

But there’s a problem…

People may lose their jobs.

Students must:

✔ Decide what should be automated

✔ Decide what should NOT be automated

✔ Design a balanced system using both humans and AI

There is no single correct answer — students must think deeply, justify decisions, and consider multiple perspectives.

What Students Will Do

Students will:

✔ Evaluate real-world problems

✔ Consider ethical implications

✔ Design balanced solutions

✔ Explain and justify their thinking

✔ Reflect on future impacts

They will explore:

• Efficiency vs fairness
• Human strengths vs AI strengths
• Short-term vs long-term consequences

What's included:

✔ Engaging scenario introduction

✔ Clear creative & critical thinking task

✔ “You Must” constraints to deepen thinking

✔ Plan & Create design prompts

✔ Explain Your Thinking questions

✔ Problem-solving extension scenario

✔ Future-focused extension challenge

✔ Student reflection prompts

✔ Teacher notes and implementation ideas

✔ Differentiation suggestions

Flexible & Easy to Use

Use this resource as:

✔ Whole-class discussion

✔ Inquiry-based learning task

✔ Critical thinking lesson

✔ Group collaboration activity

✔ Independent thinking task

Flexible timing options:

20–30 minute quick task

45–60 minute full lesson

Skills Developed

This scenario builds:

✔ Critical thinking

✔ Ethical decision-making

✔ Systems thinking

✔ Problem solving

✔ Communication and justification

✔ Future-focused thinking

Curriculum Alignment

Aligned with:

✔ Australian Curriculum (Digital Technologies, Ethical Understanding)

✔ Common Core (Speaking & Listening, Writing)

✔ NGSS Practices (Designing solutions, evaluating impacts)

✔ UK Curriculum (Computing, Citizenship, Design & Technology)

Built on the MindStretch Thinking Framework.

This resource supports students to:

✔ Generate ideas

✔ Justify their thinking

✔ Refine solutions

✔ Reflect on decisions

It helps build a shared language of thinking across your classroom.

Perfect For

✔ Years 3–6

✔ Upper Primary

✔ STEM / Digital Technologies

✔ Inquiry-based learning

✔ Ethics and future-focused lessons

Why Teachers Love This Resource

✔ No prep required

✔ Highly engaging real-world topic

✔ Encourages deep discussion

✔ Works across subjects

✔ Promotes meaningful thinking (not worksheets)

This Is More Than a Task. This is a thinking experience.

Students are not just answering questions — they are:

Designing solutions

Debating ideas

Making complex decisions

If You Love This Resource…

Explore more in the MindStretch Thinking Scenarios Series:

• Future City Design

• Extreme Environment Creature Challenge

• Traffic Jam Escape

• The Perfect School

• Save the Planet Invention

Build a powerful thinking culture in your classroom.

Extend the Thinking

Want to deepen student responses?

Use our Thinking Task Cards alongside this scenario to:

✔ Push reasoning further

✔ Encourage multiple perspectives

✔ Increase complexity of responses

Or build consistent thinking routines with our Critical Thinking Activities and Open Thinking Series.

Turn one great lesson into ongoing thinking development.