The way we teach students, from classroom structures to teaching methods and standardized instruction, has not changed much throughout human history. Although schools, colleges and mass education have become more important than ever for social cohesion and economic development, education has remained remarkably consistent even as other sectors and institutions have been transformed by computers and smartphones.
But now it’s the turn of the class be revolutionizeddriven by rapid progress in artificial intelligence. This transformation has the potential to reshape education as profoundly as the Internet has transformed entire industries.
If deployed correctly, AI-powered education tools could deliver high-quality personalized learning on a global scale. But realizing this potential will require a coordinated effort from educators, institutions, policymakers and technology providers.
Across the world, education systems are under strain. In both rich and low-income countries, teachers must do more with fewer resources. Schools across the United States are struggling to recruit and retain staff amid persistent shortages of math, science and special education teachers. In emerging economies, the student population is growing much faster than the supply of qualified educators.
At the same time, as the economy continues to evolve at breakneck speed, some fear that teachers and schools will struggle to keep pace. Current curricula may not fully prepare students with the skills needed in an AI-driven job market, potentially leaving some young people and mid-career workers underprepared. Teachers may also feel unprepared as they navigate increasingly diverse classrooms, with students from a wider range of cultural backgrounds and learning needs, often without receiving sufficient training.
AI could change that. It could provide instant feedback on student work and offer the responsiveness of one-on-one tutoring, something traditional classrooms have not been able to offer at scale.
Automating routine tasks like grading and administrative work can also allow teachers to focus on the human aspects of teaching: mentoring, motivation, curiosity, empathy, and critical thinking. AI could thus empower and amplify the impact of teachers, rather than replacing them.
For students, learning will no longer be shaped by the happenstance of birth – where they live, what school they attend, or what resources they have – but rather by their access to high-quality, personalized learning. Indeed, AI has the potential to help narrow the gap between those who have access to the best teachers and schools and those who do not. Although previous developments in educational technology have not completely closed this gap, AI could offer significant new possibilities.
However, the extent to which AI can truly level the playing field should not be taken as immediate or transparent, since accessibility to the technology will play a significant role in its adoption. Factors such as cost or access to a stable internet connection require special attention to truly reduce educational disparities, ensuring that quality education becomes more affordable and widely accessible to all.
Early signs suggest that AI-based approaches can improve learning outcomes at scale and at lower marginal cost than traditional models.
In Kenya, Eneza Education’s mobile platform has welcomed more than 10 million learners since its launch in 2022. Eneza Education supports literacy and numeracy in remote rural areas of Kenya and Ivory Coast and has reached an improvement of 23% in academic performance after learning with the platform for nine months.
In Latin America, Efekta Education’s AI teaching assistant helps four million students learn English. The platform, which was first tested in the Brazilian state of Paraná, showed 32.5% improvement in average English test scores on the state standardized assessment. Efekta is currently testing the platform in the Philippines and Indonesia, where governments are looking to help teachers and students improve their English skills.
And in the United States, a recent study conducted by the EdWeek research center found that teacher use of AI tools nearly doubled between 2023 and 2025, demonstrating increased integration in education. The study also found that the number of AI training courses for teachers has increased steadily, from 29% of teachers reporting at least one training session in 2024 to 50% in 2025.
Parents and teachers often express concerns about bringing more screens into classrooms. However, the challenge lies not in the presence of screens, but in ensuring that technology does not isolate learners. When implemented thoughtfully, AI tools have the potential to enhance dialogue, feedback, and interactions, complementing personalized attention rather than replacing it.
Trust and governance will be critical to the success of AI in education. Teachers need to have confidence in the tools they are asked to use. Student data must be protected and governments must maintain control of programs and standards.
Yet while privacy, transparency and cultural inclusion are essential, they cannot be a reason to delay progress. Rather, these are challenges to be addressed through policy as governments and education leaders strive to integrate AI into the teaching process.
The stakes are high. UNESCO believes that universal access to quality education could add billions of dollars to the global economy as millions of skilled workers enter the job market.
At the same time, there is growing recognition that advanced economies could benefit from a shift in focus from simply transmitting information, an increasingly capable work machine, to promoting creativity, adaptability and lifelong learning. While AI tools could support this transition, they should be seen as part of a broader educational strategy that includes traditional human-centered learning approaches.
This is not a distant prospect: AI-based educational technologies are already deployed and advancing rapidly. Countries and societies that choose to adopt them quickly and govern them wisely will be best placed to lead in the decades to come.
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