This report by Oxford University Press calls for governments to support schools to harness the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to transform education. It warns that the current period of experimentation with AI risks affecting quality standards in teaching and exposing students to misinformation.
The report acknowledges that there is huge potential for AI to transform education, but emphasises that education should drive technology—not the other way around. It reveals that half (49%) of teachers are feeling unprepared for its impact and says more must be done to empower teachers and help them prepare their pupils for an AI-enabled future.
The report cautions that if the current education system does not adapt to the age of AI, pupils could experience inequalities in its implementation and risk being prevented from developing broader cognitive skills for the future, significantly impacting learning outcomes. It also warns that without proper consideration of the risks and impacts of AI or clear guidance on how to use it, teaching and learning standards could be affected during an inevitable—and necessary—period of experimentation.
The report also examines the different responses to the use of AI in education systems around the world. Some countries, like Italy, temporarily banned ChatGPT last year, while others are embracing the technology, with Spain the first country to establish an AI policy taskforce and China developing detailed regulations.
With such differences likely to continue due to local culture, policy, and societal needs, OUP warns that this could exacerbate existing disparities between and within nations.