Globally, tech companies are rushing to integrate AI into classrooms
Governments Worldwide Rush to Bring AI Into Classrooms, Sparking Promise and Concern
Governments across the world are rapidly deploying generative artificial intelligence tools in schools and universities, often in partnership with major U.S. technology companies, as they seek to prepare students for an increasingly AI-driven economy. While tech leaders argue that AI can enhance learning and ease teachers’ workloads, educators and child welfare groups warn that the unchecked spread of AI in classrooms could undermine critical thinking and student development.
In early November, Microsoft announced plans to supply AI tools and training to more than 200,000 students and educators in the United Arab Emirates. Days later, a financial services firm in Kazakhstan said it had reached an agreement with OpenAI to provide ChatGPT Edu to 165,000 educators nationwide. Last month, xAI, the artificial intelligence company founded by Elon Musk, unveiled an even larger initiative in El Salvador, where it plans to develop an AI tutoring system using its Grok chatbot for more than one million students across thousands of schools.
Fueled largely by American technology companies, similar initiatives are emerging worldwide. Supporters argue that AI chatbots—capable of drafting emails, generating quizzes, analysing data, and writing code—can personalise learning, save teachers time, and equip students with skills needed for future jobs.
However, critics caution that the rapid adoption of AI in education carries significant risks. A recent study by Microsoft and Carnegie Mellon University found that heavy reliance on AI chatbots may reduce critical thinking skills. Teachers are also grappling with AI-assisted cheating, while experts warn that chatbots can generate confident-sounding misinformation.
Lessons From Past Tech Experiments
The push mirrors earlier efforts to use technology to transform education. The global “One Laptop per Child” programme, which sought to expand access to computers in classrooms, failed to improve learning outcomes, according to studies of hundreds of schools in Peru. Children’s advocacy groups say AI risks repeating similar mistakes.
“Unguided use of AI systems may actively de-skill students and teachers,” wrote Steven Vosloo, a digital policy specialist at UNICEF, warning of wasted investments and poor educational outcomes without proper safeguards.
Adoption Accelerates in the US and Beyond
In the United States, where education decisions are typically made at the state and district level, several large school systems have already introduced AI tools. Miami-Dade County Public Schools in Florida rolled out Google’s Gemini chatbot to more than 100,000 high school students, while Broward County Public Schools deployed Microsoft’s Copilot for thousands of teachers and staff.
Outside the US, Microsoft partnered with Thailand’s Ministry of Education to offer free online AI skills courses to hundreds of thousands of students and later announced AI training for 150,000 teachers. OpenAI has pledged to make ChatGPT available to teachers in government schools across India.
Estonia Takes a Cautious, Structured Approach
Some countries are adopting more deliberate strategies. Estonia, where over 90% of high school students already use AI chatbots for schoolwork, launched a national initiative called “AI Leap.” Concerned that students were delegating assignments entirely to AI, the government worked with U.S. tech firms to tailor tools for local educational needs.
Researchers at the University of Tartu, working with OpenAI, modified Estonian-language chatbots so they respond to student questions with prompts rather than direct answers. The programme focuses on teaching students and educators about AI’s uses, limits, biases, and risks.
“It’s critical AI literacy,” said Ivo Visak, CEO of the AI Leap Foundation. “These tools can be useful—but they can also do a lot of harm.”
Iceland Tests AI Carefully
Iceland has launched a national AI pilot programme this school year, allowing several hundred teachers to experiment with tools like Google’s Gemini and Anthropic’s Claude for lesson planning. Students are not yet permitted to use the tools, amid concerns that AI could reduce essential learning skills.
“If you are using less of your brain power or critical thinking, it is definitely not what we want,” said Thordis Sigurdardottir, director of Iceland’s Directorate of Education and School Services.
Teachers involved in the pilot say AI has helped improve lesson quality and efficiency. Tinna Arnardottir, a business teacher, used Claude to design a career exploration game, while Frida Gylfadottir, an English teacher, used chatbots to create vocabulary exercises. Both stressed the importance of verifying AI-generated content and teaching students to critically evaluate AI outputs.
“They are trusting AI blindly,” Arnardottir said. “We have to teach them how to learn with AI.”
Balancing Innovation and Safeguards
As AI tools continue to spread across classrooms worldwide, educators and policymakers face the challenge of balancing innovation with protection. While governments and tech companies race to modernise education, experts stress that clear guidelines, ethical frameworks, and AI literacy will be essential to ensure technology enhances learning rather than replaces it.