Oakland Schools, the intermediate district serving Farmington Public Schools and every other district in Oakland County, is rolling out a countywide artificial intelligence strategy aimed at training educators and helping local schools develop AI policies.

Justin Bruno, director of AI Strategy and Innovation at Oakland Schools, was hired in September 2025 to lead the effort. He has since brought on Shana Ramin of Royal Oak as an AI consultant who will work directly with local districts on planning and implementation, The Oakland Press reported Sunday, Aug. 30.

Students aren't waiting for schools to catch up. A Common Sense Media survey of more than 1,000 U.S. teens ages 13 to 17, conducted from April 30 through May 14, found 70% use AI for schoolwork. Only 27% said a teacher had ever discussed what AI is and how it works.

For Farmington's 9,154 students across 16 schools as of the 2023-2024 school year, the county effort could shape how teachers design assignments and how students are expected to use digital tools.

Oakland Schools has adopted ChatGPT EDU, an education-focused version of OpenAI's ChatGPT, and staff also have access to Google's Gemini. The intermediate district is launching monthly webinars and offering AI training during local districts' professional development days.

"Education is such a human-focused thing, and we don't want to be automating things that would still benefit from the human being the primary deliverer of or facilitator of that service," Bruno told The Oakland Press. "It's more of how can we use AI to do what we've always done better for more people."

The strategy favors teaching AI literacy over blocking tools outright. Bans have limits. The Common Sense Media survey found that among teens who had an AI tool blocked on a school network, 59% switched to a personal device.

Bruno identified Royal Oak and Avondale Schools as county leaders in AI adoption. Avondale created a Student AI Advisory Council where students brief district leaders on how they use AI. Oxford and Holly school districts are also developing guidance at different stages.

Where Farmington Public Schools falls on that spectrum is unclear. The district's Board of Education heard a presentation on a 10-Year Technology Plan from consultant Amy Sasina of Plante Moran Realpoint at its May 5 meeting. The plan outlined infrastructure, instructional technology and support needs, but the public record does not detail what it says about AI.

No public statement from Superintendent Dr. Kelly Coffin or other Farmington administrators on AI policy for the new school year has appeared in available records.

The national data underscores why the conversation matters. Among AI-using teens, 38% said the technology leads them to generate fewer of their own ideas, and 39% said they feel they miss out on learning when they use AI to complete assignments. Yet 66% said AI helps them understand schoolwork.

The Farmington Board of Education meets at Maxfield Education Center, 32789 W. Ten Mile Road. Families can watch for AI-related agenda items at upcoming meetings.