Fast Facts

The Challenge

AI in education will widen the learning divide unless we design for the alternative now. Many education ministries struggle to easily assess the effectiveness and safety of AI interventions, nor do they have comprehensive regulations and policies to meet this moment.

Our Role

The AI Observatory & Action Lab will use a hypothesis-driven approach to generate evidence about strategies and approaches that we believe will narrow the learning divide in the age of AI and provide decision makers with timely, practical evidence.

Activities

We scan AI trends, test real-world applications, provide tailored guidance, benchmark tools and synthesise insights to support education decision-makers with timely, practical evidence on AI in education.

Voices from the Ministry of Education AI Challenge

Conversations with the people building, testing and running AI inside ministries of education. Every fortnight, we bring you a new story from the front line of the Ministry of Education AI Challenge.

Meet the experts

AI Observatory

We generate and share timely, relevant evidence on the AI landscape for education decision-makers, and turn that evidence into action through community, practical guidance, and country-level engagement.

Explore the collections of work and initiatives emerging from the AI Observatory below. Click to learn more about each initiative.

Signal Library is Now Live: The First Ever Signals Database of Its Kind

Signal Library surfaces signals of change from credible research, evidence, news and blogs presenting a curated selection of the latest developments relevant to AI and education in low- and middle-income…

AI Observatory Ideas Series

EdTech Hub’s Ideas Series bring together expert opinions to explore the most pressing topics in AI for education. They provide insights into trends, debates, and innovations shaping the field.

AI Observatory Learning Brief Series

EdTech Hub’s learning briefs are a collection of practical, evidence-backed resources, made for people working to improve the use of technology in education.

World Bank: AI in Education Global Community of Interest

The World Bank and EdTech Hub’s AI Observatory and Action Lab co-convene a special Community of Interest to explore and understand AI’s potential, practical technical options, challenges, and policy implications…

Waypoint Wednesday: Weekly Spotlight on AI for Education

Since launching the AI Observatory, we’ve been in listening mode — meeting and discussing AI with people across the world. These conversations have surfaced key trends, tensions, and paradoxes that…

Action Lab

Tackling opportunities, gaps, and ideas worth testing to know what AI-related approaches, frameworks, and/or policies can lead to evidence-informed shifts towards effective and equitable AI use.

Beyond the Upgrade: A Theoretical Framework for Education in the Age of AI

There’s nothing quite like thinking about grading in the age of AI to make you realise how quickly the ground under our feet is shifting. Right now, teachers are using…

Resources: Mapping a Theoretical Framework for Education in the Age of AI

This page brings together a selection of resources to help explore how education systems might evolve in the age of AI. The resources are organised around six key “levers” from…

Ministry of Education AI Challenge

When education systems function well, they create the right conditions for learning. This comes straight from the World Bank’s 2018 report on realising education’s promise.

Voices from the Ministry of Education AI Challenge

Stories From Six Countries We’re bringing you interviews from experts involved in the Challenge across six countries. Click a country to read the story. KenyaLive now PhilippinesLive now PakistanLive now…

Teachers-in-the-Lead Sandboxes

As AI reshapes education globally, much of the debate focuses on what algorithms can and cannot do, often overlooking the people and skillset that matters most: teachers. The future of…

From “In the Loop” to “In the Lead”— Teachers Shaping the Role of AI in Education

As we celebrate World Teachers’ Day, it’s an important time to acknowledge that the role of teachers and how we support them is continuously evolving. This is especially true as…

Teacher-in-the-Loop

The AI Observatory & Action Lab, a project by EdTech Hub, is working to understand how AI is starting to shape education, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Too often,…

Taking Your Own Hypothesis-Based Approach to Education in the Age of AI

AI is moving fast, making it tough not to get swept in the hype or doom and gloom. To help us take practical next steps to ensure an effective and equitable education future in the age of AI, we have developed a process for identifying testable hypotheses that focus on building the future you want, and not just where the tech is leading us. We’re now sharing it so you can too.

Write your own hypothesis

The Complete AI Collection

Discover the full range of work emerging from the AI Observatory & Action Lab.

Read more

Latest Blogs

AI in Education and Skills Global Community of Interest (Session 10): Teachers at the Centre: What AI Literacy Really Means for Building Capacity and Practice

An Artificial Intelligence in Education Community of Interest Event As AI tools become an increasingly visible presence in schools, the question of how to prepare teachers to engage with them…

6 Questions Everyone at the Education World Forum Should Be Asking About AI

Introduction The mainstream debate on AI and education has settled into two familiar camps. The optimists point to a wave of tools promising personalised learning, teacher support, and reduced admin….

How Can Ministries of Education Use AI to Improve Their Service Delivery?

Why This Matters The potential for AI to support Ministry operations, data access, and decision-making is huge and goes beyond teaching and learning. The AI Observatory & Action Lab presents…
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Signals on AI for Education

We have highlighted some emerging trends in AI for education worldwide. Get early signals, expert reflections, and insights on what’s shaping learning and teaching.

How might low- and middle-income countries reimagine the purpose and ways of learning in the age of AI with the foresight to do things differently from previous tech waves?

How might low- and middle-income countries reimagine the purpose and ways of learning in the age of AI with the foresight to do things differently from previous tech waves? EdTech…

How Might Low- and Middle-Income Countries Plan Intentionally for AI to Contribute to Long-Term Improvements in Student Learning Rather Than Short-Term Acceleration?

How might low- and middle-income countries plan intentionally for AI to contribute to long-term improvements in student learning rather than short-term acceleration? EdTech Hub’s AI Observatory is exploring how education…

How Might Low- and Middle-Income Countries Create Practical Ways to Use AI to Enhance Learning Outcomes?

How might low- and middle-income countries create practical ways to use AI to enhance learning outcomes, so that today’s standards are achieved by more learners? EdTech Hub’s AI Observatory is…
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Explore More

Initiatives

Tools

Op-Eds

Events

Podcasts

EdTech Hub’s AI Observatory is made possible by the support of UK International Development.

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