How could AI reshape global education?

AI is moving from being an optional educational aid to becoming a core foundation that shapes how future generations of students learn. The clearest sign of this shift is Ohio State University’s decision to incorporate AI skills modules into its entire undergraduate curriculum, starting in fall 2025. But that’s just one part of the bigger picture.

Previously, in October 2024, the US state of California passed a bill requiring the integration of AI knowledge into the general education curriculum. In April 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to ensure that American youth have access to the skills needed to use and develop the next generation of AI technology.

Almost simultaneously, China also announced plans to make AI education mandatory across its entire primary and secondary school system, starting this fall.

Clearly, AI is no longer a passing trend but is becoming a new educational infrastructure, quietly, rapidly and unevenly, as described by Mr. Waqas Suhail, CEO of the company specializing in developing AI-integrated smart learning platforms - DaMeta1 of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

He has worked with public and private organizations to deploy intelligent learning systems at scale. And while ethical debates continue, current trends show that AI is redefining the future of education in profound and irreversible ways.

AI in Education: From Hype to Reality

Waqas Suhail believes that the true value of AI in education is not in replacing humans, but in its ability to adapt and support. AI should not overshadow the role of teachers, but should give them more time to teach, engage deeply and build trust, things that no machine system can replicate.

A prime example is Ilmversity – a virtual classroom platform developed by DaMeta1, where AI tutors can personalize lessons according to each student’s needs and provide real-time data to teachers.

Backed by Microsoft accelerator programs and the AWS cloud computing platform, Ilmversity is part of a new wave of edtech that is bringing adaptive learning, an old education dream, into the mainstream. While the metaverse may have faded from the media spotlight, more practical applications like AI-powered personalization are proving to be a lasting presence in the classroom.

Many other platforms are also shaping the future of AI-powered personalized learning. For example, Khanmigo, an advanced AI tutoring and teaching assistant platform from the US-based educational nonprofit Khan Academy, offers a tutoring experience that encourages learners to find their own answers through continuous, open-ended questioning and guided reasoning, known as the Socratic style.

Meanwhile, Google’s LearnLM – a language model specifically trained for education – is paving the way for more effective conversational learning. All are testing the answer to a key question: What will AI-powered education look like?

“The most effective AI tools are those that free teachers from administrative burdens and enable them to do the one thing machines can’t do: inspire, respond emotionally, and foster trust,” Suhail said. “The future is not AI against teachers, but AI alongside teachers.”

That vision is no longer theoretical. In an interview with Bloomberg, US investor Paul Tudor Jones stressed that AI tutors could “dramatically improve learning outcomes for low-income students” and help close the educational inequality gap.

On the other side of the Atlantic, Jill Duffy of Cambridge University Press & Assessment (UK) warns that AI should “enhance, not replace, human participation in the classroom,” and calls for us to change the question from “Should students use AI?” to “How should students use AI?”.

Data also supports this trend. According to a survey by the nonprofit Common Sense Media (USA), up to 70% of American teenagers are using generative AI tools to help with homework.

Meanwhile, the World Economic Forum predicts that AI will eliminate 9 million jobs by 2026, but will also create up to 11 million new ones, most of which require higher education. Suhail calls this not just a restructuring of labor, but “a knowledge gap in motion.”

And that gap isn’t limited to the US. In the UAE, the government is launching public-private partnerships to integrate AI education into public secondary schools by 2026.

Meanwhile, in South Korea, AI-powered digital textbooks will be introduced to students as young as eight years old, with plans to integrate them across multiple subjects from 2028. Clearly, AI is not only changing the way we learn, but also reshaping the future of the entire global education system.

The Race to Get AI Right

Around the world, education policymakers are scrambling to adapt to the AI ​​wave, but not everyone is running at the same pace or in the same direction.

While some schools ban AI tools outright, others are deploying them en masse without proper direction, guidance, or training. The result is a patchy deployment that poses both opportunities and risks.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has made a clear call in its Education 2030 agenda to prioritize AI tools that are inclusive, equitable and human-centered.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the European Commission also introduced the AI ​​Literacy Framework (AILit) – a comprehensive guide to the knowledge, skills and critical thinking that young people need to use and interact with AI safely and confidently.

But as Waqas Suhail points out, technology cannot “patch” systemic flaws. “Every education system starts from a different starting point,” he says. “The question is not whether to use AI, but whether we can build long-term human, cultural, and strategic capabilities.”

His warning is echoed by other education leaders. “If overused, technology can push teachers out of the picture,” stresses Jill Duffy of Cambridge University Press & Assessment. “But they are irreplaceable as the ones who foster curiosity, empathy and genuine learning.”

Still, the race is on, not just to implement AI in education, but to do so responsibly. From teacher training programs, to assessment methods, to new ethical standards, countries are beginning to reshape entire education systems to accommodate a world where AI is no longer a sideline tool, but a fundamental part of the learning process.

What is the next era after AI?

In the AI-led education revolution, the question is no longer who has access to this technology, but how we use it and who will be left behind if the system does not change quickly enough.

According to Waqas Suhail, the world is facing a rare opportunity to shape the role of AI in education, not only through investment in technical foundations but also in people, policies and long-term goals.

The rapid rise of AI training programs coupled with the popularity of “AI-first” learning tools has signaled a structural movement in global education, where learning is not just integrated with AI, but built from the ground up to fit a native AI environment.

But as many experts warn, adopting technology does not necessarily mean progress. The core question is: who benefits? Is technology deployed equitably? And, most importantly, does it actually improve learning outcomes?

“The question is no longer whether AI should be in the classroom. It is already there,” Suhail said. “What we need to ask now is whether these systems are designed to serve all students or just a select group of students?”

It's not just a matter of technology. It's a matter of equity, access, and ultimately the shape of the future of global education.