4 Early Insights from On-Demand Scoping Conversations with FCDO Advisors
Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the education sector and reshaping how development partners engage with it. To ensure AI supports—not undermines—efforts to address the global learning crisis, education funders need more than awareness of new tools. They need a deeper understanding of the AI evidence landscape, practical experience integrating AI in real-world education systems, and the capacity to engage confidently with Ministries of Education and other stakeholders on this evolving agenda.
That’s where our new FCDO on-demand service comes in.
To foster more thoughtful and strategic AI integration in education systems, we’ve launched an on-demand service providing tailored technical assistance and grant funding to FCDO staff working on education and their government partners. The service is designed to be flexible and responsive, meeting teams where they are—whether piloting an AI chatbot for teacher support, drafting national AI guidelines, or simply trying to figure out where to start.
What the on-demand service offers
This service builds on EdTech Hub’s Helpdesk model, which has long supported FCDO Advisors with timely, agile technical assistance. Leveraging that foundation, the on-demand service offers a more focused mechanism to respond to emerging questions and challenges around AI.
We support FCDO Advisors through:
- Targeted funding to trial, test, and explore integration of AI in existing programmes or systems
- Matchmaking with AI experts and technologists through our EdTech Hub Specialist Network
- Project management support to co-design and deliver time-bound, high-impact engagements
- Flexible entry points via the EdTech Hub Helpdesk, with no geographic limitations
Our goal is not to push AI where it doesn’t belong, but to support FCDO education staff and countries in exploring where and how AI might add value in alignment with national priorities and grounded in local realities.
What we’re learning
Over the past few months, we’ve held scoping conversations with FCDO education staff and EdTech Hub partners across 10 countries. These discussions have provided valuable insights into both the nature of demand for AI in education and what it takes to design responsive, meaningful support. Here are four lessons shaping our approach.
Demand for AI is growing – but it’s uneven and evolving
Interest in AI is rising rapidly, but FCDO Advisors and the Ministries of Education they support are at very different starting points. Some are still building the foundations for digital transformation, while others are already piloting AI solutions. Across contexts, FCDO Advisors are navigating a mix of enthusiasm, caution, uncertainty – and tight capacity.
The most promising use cases are often “behind the scenes”
Rather than jumping straight to high-profile AI tutors or adaptive learning tools, countries are often more interested in less visible but potentially high-impact applications – those that help improve system operations, data flows, or decision-making processes. For example:
- Using AI to automate administrative tasks like tagging or updating digital resource descriptions to improve content discoverability on learning management systems.
- Deploying AI-enabled chatbots to strengthen school supervision routines.
- Developing predictive models to guide student placement decisions or anticipate disruptions due to external shocks like climate events.
- Leveraging AI to synthesize existing research and generate context-specific insights for education programme design or policy development.
These use cases seem to reflect a shared interest in using AI to solve real education system challenges—not just layering on new tools for learners or teachers. That’s one reason we’ve also launched the Ministry of Education AI Challenge to support government teams in exploring how AI can strengthen education service delivery in practice.
Readiness and capacity-building are essential starting points
Before piloting AI, governments are asking foundational questions like what would it take to integrate AI meaningfully and responsibly? In one country, for instance, the Ministry of Education is interested in undertaking a system readiness assessment to understand infrastructure, capacity, and resourcing needs, while also convening partner working groups to design and lead future AI initiatives.
At the same time, FCDO Advisors themselves are looking for support to build their own fluency in AI. There’s growing demand for facilitated learning sessions, practical frameworks, and tools to help them understand what’s feasible, spot red flags, and engage confidently with government and implementing partners – especially as these stakeholders are being pitched a wide range of AI products with limited independent guidance.
This demand signals not just a need for technical guidance, but for structured time and space to reflect, explore, and make sense of a rapidly evolving field.
Effective AI integration starts with time, trust, and multi-stakeholder alignment
AI isn’t a bolt-on solution. For it to be meaningful, it needs to be embedded within existing programmes, policies, or system reforms – whether that’s teacher professional development, school supervision, or implementation of a national digital education strategy. In that sense, we’re not introducing a standalone tool; we’re working to strengthen or extend efforts that are already underway.
Because of this, we anticipate that successful on-demand engagements will likely involve far more than just the FCDO Advisor. They’ll require coordination and buy-in from government officials, implementing partners, and technical consultants, among others – each playing a critical role in the success of the broader initiative. Building alignment across these stakeholders takes time and intentional trust-building, even from the start.
That’s why our scoping process goes beyond simply identifying an AI use case to exploring what system is this part of? What needs to be in place for this to work? Who needs to be at the table? Our support aims to reflect this full ecosystem—not just the AI layer, but all the components it depends on to succeed.
And this isn’t unique to AI. Many of these same dynamics apply to EdTech more broadly: effective technology use in education is rarely just about the tech itself, but about the systems, relationships, and capacity that surround it. In many ways, AI simply brings renewed urgency to the same structural and implementation challenges that have shaped the EdTech conversation for decades.
What’s next
As we continue to test and refine this on-demand model, we’re eager to work with more FCDO Advisors and education stakeholders who are curious about AI and its role in the education systems they support. You don’t need to come with a fully formed idea—just a challenge you’re grappling with or an opportunity you’re exploring. Whether scoping a new programme, building Ministry partnerships, or strengthening system resilience, we’re here to help you unpack where AI might (or might not) fit.
We look forward to exploring, learning and sharing insights from this work. Join us on this journey, and together we can ensure a future where there is greater equity in learning outcomes.
There are multiple ways to engage with us. To explore a potential on-demand engagement—or to learn more about the other mechanisms we offer to support your needs—please reach out via the EdTech Hub Helpdesk at Helpdesk@edtechhub.org.
