The Red Queen Effect: Why AI Might Not Save Us Time

The following is based on the article The Red Queen Effect of AI in a Rapidly Evolving Technological Landscape that I wrote for the March/April 2025 NASP Communique. The full article can be access through NASP’s website.

As artificial intelligence (AI) begins to transform the field of school psychology, it’s tempting to assume that new tools will finally ease our workload. Report writing? Automated. Data analysis? Lightning fast. Paperwork? Streamlined. But before we start celebrating a new era of efficiency, we need to pause—and consider the Red Queen Effect.

Running to Stand Still

Borrowed from evolutionary biology and Through the Looking-Glass, the Red Queen Effect describes a situation where progress demands constant adaptation—running faster just to stay in the same place. In school psychology, this means that even if AI helps us save time, rising expectations might quickly absorb those gains.

We’ve already seen this in healthcare. Electronic health records were meant to reduce burnout, but they ended up piling on documentation requirements. Now, there’s a risk we could see the same dynamic play out in education.

Three Challenges School Psychologists Must Prepare For

1. Upskilling and Ethical Literacy
   School psychologists will need to build a solid foundation in AI literacy—learning how these tools work, how to use them effectively, and how to verify the accuracy and fairness of AI-generated content. We’ll also need to stay sharp on ethics, bias, and privacy.

2. Increased Caseloads and Expectations
   If AI speeds up assessments, will districts reduce staff or increase our caseloads? Efficiency gains might be used to cut costs—not to improve services. And if AI expands our ability to identify students in need, we’ll need more time and resources to support them.

3. The Data Tsunami
   AI excels at analyzing “big data,” but the insights it produces still require interpretation. School psychologists will need stronger skills in research methods and analytics—especially to spot bias and make sound decisions about flagged students. Without these skills, we risk acting on flawed or inequitable data.

The Illusion of Progress

AI may offer the illusion of time savings while actually deepening our workload. The tools might evolve, but so will expectations—and we’ll be back on the treadmill.

A Better Path Forward

But it doesn’t have to be this way. We can choose a smarter path:

• Use Time Wisely
  AI should give us more time for high-impact work: counseling, consultation, and prevention—not just faster assessments.

• Keep Students at the Center
  Tools should help us meet students’ needs more effectively, not simply push more referrals through the system.

• Train Intentionally
  Graduate programs must start preparing the next generation for this shift—teaching AI literacy, ethics, and data skills from the start.

• Balance Tech with the Human Touch
  No matter how sophisticated AI becomes, it can’t replace the relationships and empathy that define our work.

Final Thoughts

AI could help us run smarter—but only if we design and implement it thoughtfully. We need to advocate for systems that support, not stretch, school psychologists. And we must stay vigilant: adapting, upskilling, and speaking up to ensure AI enhances—not overwhelms—our ability to support students.

Let’s make sure AI works for us, not the other way around.