AI IN EDUCATION

We have been reading some interesting articles about the use of AI in education settings. As a society we seem to be getting the hang of Fake News but have we thought carefully about neutrality and whether this is actually impossible when huge profits are at stake. The global AI in education market is set to grow from $9.7 billion in 2025 to $92.5 billion by 2030 (ResearchandMarkets.com 2025).

Writing in Schools Week, Catherine Buckler, Edtech Lead and Head of Geography at Sydenham High School GDST, notes that big tech companies are increasingly shaping how educators approach artificial intelligence (AI) in schools. Encouraging colleagues to make decisions that truly benefit learners, she says: "AI will play a role in education’s future, but that future should not be written solely by the companies that stand to profit from it." Please click here to read more.

Sir Anthony Seldon, founding director of Wellington College Education, was one of 60 education leaders who recently signed a letter to the Times Newspaper which highlights the benefits and risks of artificial intelligence (AI) in schools.

Potential Benefits:

  • AI can handle routine tasks such as marking and assessments, potentially freeing teachers to spend more time on teaching and on personal engagement with pupils.
  • AI has the potential to transform learning by supporting personalised learning experiences and reshaping school design - something he has described as one of the most significant forces in education in decades.
  • Co-founding AI in Education, Seldon advocates advising schools on which AI developments are beneficial, aiming to help maximise positive impacts. Please read more here.

Potential risks:

Sir Anthony has been vocal about serious concerns that schools and educators need to confront:

  • Human teaching must remain central: He argues that human intelligence and teaching should be “at the heart of schools” and that AI must not replace the core human aspects of education.
  • Moral and ethical dangers: Seldon has warned that AI tools can enable plagiarism, deepfakes, and moral harm if not properly understood and monitored by pupils.
  • Rapid change and lack of guidance: He has expressed that schools are “bewildered by the fast rate of change” in AI and that current regulation and government guidance are lagging behind technological developments.
  • Need for informed judgement: Seldon urges schools, parents, and teachers to differentiate “wholesome, stimulating, good AI” from harmful applications, suggesting that educators must take proactive roles rather than waiting for government or tech companies alone to set standards.

Drawing on decades of work with educators to "eliminate products that are addictive and harmful, precisely to protect genuine education", he says big tech companies have shown a "blithe disregard" for such concerns. Citing Australia’s recent ban on social media for under-16s, Sir Anthony warns: "Unless the government quickly learns from the ample evidence globally of what other governments are doing to confront this issue, then such a ban may become inevitable here."