Reading, Writing, and Numeracy are Foundations of Literacy, Human Agency, and Ethical Engagement with AI
By Kate Arthur, tech entrepreneur and author of Am I Literate? Redefining Literacy in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
As artificial intelligence reshapes how we live, work, and relate to one another, the call for widespread AI literacy is growing. To participate meaningfully in this shift, people must understand how AI systems function, question their outputs, and help shape their role in society. But we cannot build AI literacy in isolation. Reading, writing, and numeracy remain the foundational tools that support critical engagement with technology and maintain human agency.
These traditional literacies enable individuals to think critically, communicate clearly, and make informed decisions—skills that are essential in an AI-driven world.
Reading is key to navigating AI-generated content. From interpreting chatbot responses to evaluating algorithmic decisions, people need strong comprehension skills to assess credibility, recognise bias, and identify risk. Without this ability, users are more vulnerable to misinformation and more likely to place blind trust in machine-generated outputs. Given that AI systems reflect the data and values on which they are trained, critical skills are necessary to recognise and challenge embedded assumptions.
Writing allows people to actively participate in shaping AI. Whether prompting a system, writing code, responding to automated decisions, or contributing to public discussions about ethics and governance, writing supports reflection, expression, and accountability. It enables individuals to clarify their thinking, advocate for themselves and others, and take part in shaping the role of AI in society.
Numeracy underpins an understanding of how AI systems operate. At its core, numeracy is about understanding numbers—an essential part of mathematics. Concepts such as probability, correlation, and statistical reasoning are central to how algorithms make predictions and classifications. Mathematics is the language through which AI models are built and refined. While deep technical expertise isn’t required for everyone, a basic grasp of mathematical thinking enables people to interpret AI outputs, identify flaws, and engage with data-informed decisions that affect everyday life—from healthcare to education to employment.
As we expand our understanding of literacy to include AI, we must also expand our understanding of how literacy itself is defined and taught. Literacy is not limited to Western, text-based traditions. Across cultures, knowledge is shared through oral storytelling, collective memory, and embodied practice. A redefined AI literacy must honour and integrate these diverse ways of knowing to ensure inclusive and equitable participation in shaping our technological future.
Reading, writing, and numeracy are the groundwork on which AI literacy is built. Redefining literacy to include both human and machine understanding means grounding our efforts in equity, access, and cultural humility—ensuring that everyone has the tools not just to use AI, but to question it, shape it, and be heard within it.
As the call for AI literacy grows worldwide, let’s not widen the digital and literacy divides by ignoring the essential skills of reading, writing, and numeracy. There are still 800 million people around the world who don’t have basic literacy skills (UNESCO 2023). Being able to interpret data into knowledge, into stories, and to record them, is to have the incredible gift of being literate – and an invitation to belong.
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