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AI education guidelines updated by European Commission

Updated European Commission guidelines on the ethical use of AI and data in teaching and learning aim to help teachers and school leaders use the technology safely and responsibly in line with EU values.

The revised edition updates the Commission’s 2022 guidance to reflect the rapid growth of generative AI in education and the implications of the EU AI Act. The document is non-binding and is intended to support teachers, school leaders and education authorities, rather than serve as enforcement guidance on the AI Act.

AI tools can support lesson planning, personalised learning, assessment, feedback, school administration and the early identification of learning needs, according to the guidelines. At the same time, they warn that general-purpose AI tools were not designed specifically for education and may lack appropriate safeguards.

Ethical and legal considerations should not be treated as an add-on to AI use in schools, but as fundamental to how the technology is understood, adopted and applied, the Commission says. The guidelines highlight risks linked to bias, privacy, lack of transparency, over-reliance, academic integrity and the use of student data by commercial technology providers.

Rules under EU AI Act and the General Data Protection Regulation are also explained in the document. Some AI systems used for admissions, grading, behavioural monitoring, student progress tracking or detecting prohibited behaviour during tests may be classified as high-risk, while emotion recognition systems are prohibited in educational settings except for medical or safety-related reasons.

Key ethical considerations identified in the guidelines include human dignity, fairness, trustworthiness, academic integrity and justified choice. They also provide guiding questions for teachers and schools on human oversight, transparency, explainability, diversity, inclusion, privacy, safety and accountability.

Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu says the ethical use of AI must remain the guiding principle and that teachers are ‘uniquely placed to act as ethical guardians for their students’. The Commission frames the update as part of wider EU work on digital education, skills, AI literacy and the future of education systems in the age of AI.

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Council of the EU pushes for human-centred AI in education systems

The Council of the European Union has approved conclusions calling for an ethical, safe and human-centred approach to AI in education, stressing that teachers should remain at the heart of the learning process as AI tools become more widely used across schools and universities.

The Council said the conclusions focus on strengthening digital skills and AI literacy, guaranteeing inclusion and fairness, empowering teachers, and supporting the well-being of both teachers and learners. It also noted that the relationship between AI and teaching is being addressed for the first time in the EU education policy.

The EU ministers highlighted both the opportunities and risks associated with AI-driven education systems. The Council said AI could improve accessibility, support disadvantaged learners, enable more individualised teaching and assessment methods, and reduce administrative workloads for educators.

At the same time, the conclusions raise concerns about misinformation, algorithmic bias, over-reliance on technology, reduced teacher autonomy, data protection risks and the widening of digital inequalities across Europe. The Council also warned that AI could affect learners’ concentration and skill acquisition, while raising broader societal and environmental concerns.

The conclusions call on national governments to strengthen teachers’ AI and digital skills through training, while encouraging the development and use of education-specific AI tools that provide clear pedagogical value and align with data protection, accountability and risk-awareness requirements.

The Council also said teachers should have opportunities to contribute to the design and evaluation of AI tools used in education, reflecting a digital humanism approach focused on human agency and democratic values.

Member states are urged to ensure AI deployment does not undermine teachers’ autonomy or sustainable working conditions, and that digital tools remain accessible and suitable for all learners. The European Commission was encouraged to support international cooperation, research, ethical guidance, peer-to-peer exchanges and capacity-building as AI adoption accelerates across European education systems.

Why does it matter?

AI is moving into classrooms not only as a learning tool, but as part of how teaching, assessment, administration and student support are organised. The Council’s conclusions underline that education policy will need to address more than technical adoption, including teacher autonomy, digital inequality, learner well-being, data protection and the risk of over-reliance on automated systems.

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UNESCO explores how AI and design can reshape culture and creativity

UNESCO’s Regional Office for East Asia has launched a global call for good practice cases on how AI and design are being used to support culture, creativity, education, sustainability and social inclusion.

The call invites submissions from organisations, institutions, practitioners, educators and innovators using AI together with design approaches to create positive outcomes in cultural and creative sectors. UNESCO says the initiative is looking for practical examples that support culture, creativity, livelihoods, learning, sustainability and social inclusion.

The call focuses on four thematic areas: cultural heritage protection, documentation and interpretation; cultural tourism and visitor experience design; fashion and creative industry innovation; and design education and capacity development.

Selected projects may receive UNESCO recognition, be included in a publication or catalogue, participate in exhibitions or showcases, receive invitations to talks or events, and gain visibility through UNESCO communication channels.

The initiative reflects growing international interest in how AI can support creative and cultural sectors beyond industrial productivity. UNESCO’s framing places design principles such as inclusion, accessibility, cultural relevance and people-centred use at the centre of responsible AI deployment in cultural and educational contexts.

Submissions are open until 15 June 2026, with selected cases scheduled to be announced on 15 July 2026. Applications may be submitted in English or Chinese and are expected to demonstrate practical examples of AI supporting learning, livelihoods, creativity or sustainable development through design-oriented approaches.

Why does it matter?

The call points to a wider effort to shape AI use in culture and creativity around public value rather than solely on automation. By focusing on heritage, tourism, fashion and design education, UNESCO is encouraging examples where AI supports local knowledge, creative livelihoods, cultural access and inclusive innovation.

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Young users’ reliance on ChatGPT raises questions over AI advice and autonomy

Sam Altman has described a generational divide in how people use ChatGPT, saying younger users are integrating the tool more deeply into learning, planning and everyday decision-making.

Speaking at Sequoia Capital’s AI Ascent 2025, the OpenAI CEO said older users tend to treat ChatGPT more like a search tool, while people in their 20s and 30s often use it as a personal advisor. College students, he said, are going further by treating ChatGPT almost like an operating system, connecting it to files, tasks and complex workflows.

The remarks point to a shift in how AI tools are being embedded into daily routines, particularly among students and younger adults. Business Insider reported that a February 2025 OpenAI report found US college students were among the platform’s most frequent users, while a Pew Research Centre survey found that 26% of US teens aged 13 to 17 used ChatGPT for schoolwork in 2024, double the share recorded in 2023.

Altman’s comments also raise questions about dependence, accuracy and boundaries as AI systems move closer to advisory roles. While users may benefit from private spaces to test ideas, organise tasks and prepare decisions, concerns remain over over-reliance, data privacy and the shifting role of human relationships in decision-making.

Why does it matter?

The trend suggests that AI is becoming more than an information tool for younger users. As ChatGPT and similar systems become part of studying, planning and personal decision-making, they influence not only how information is consumed, but also how habits, confidence and judgement develop.

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Pakistan expands media literacy efforts with UNESCO support

UNESCO and Pakistan have launched ‘Digital Citizens for Peace’, a media literacy initiative designed to counter hate speech and disinformation by training young journalists and content creators. The programme responds to Pakistan’s widening gap between internet connectivity and critical digital literacy, as social media increasingly becomes the main source of news for millions of users.

Through immersive Media and Information Literacy camps, mentorship programmes, and open-access educational toolkits, the initiative aims to strengthen responsible digital engagement and encourage fact-based content creation across the country.

The project also seeks to create long-term institutional impact by integrating media liter acy resources into universities and community education programmes.

UNESCO and the Interactive Resource Centre are developing video-based educational tools to support the broader National Media and Information Literacy Roadmap of Pakistan, helping young people navigate digital platforms more critically while promoting social cohesion and responsible online participation.

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EU briefing warns AI health benefits need safeguards

A European Parliamentary Research Service briefing says AI could improve healthcare, disease prevention and well-being across the EU, but warns that its growing use in health advice, AI companions and tools used by children, young people and older adults requires strong safeguards and human oversight.

The briefing, focused on health and well-being in the age of AI, says AI is already supporting diagnostics, personalised treatment, health-risk forecasting, hospital management, pharmaceutical development and disease surveillance. It points to use cases in areas such as radiology, oncology, cardiology, rare diseases and cross-border health data exchange.

AI-powered health chatbots and virtual assistants can help people access health information, understand complex topics and prepare for medical consultations. However, the briefing warns that such tools may also create privacy risks, spread inaccurate or misleading information, and encourage users to delay or replace professional medical advice.

AI companions are presented as another area where benefits and risks coexist. They may support social interaction and alert caregivers when people are at risk of isolation, but cannot replace human relationships and may deepen loneliness or worsen mental health risks for vulnerable users.

For older adults, AI-enabled wearables, in-home sensors, assistive technologies and smart care platforms could support independent living and improve care. At the same time, the briefing warns of privacy and data security concerns, emotional dependency and the risk that technology could replace rather than complement personal interaction.

Young people and children face different risks as AI becomes part of daily life, learning, health advice and social interaction. The briefing highlights possible exposure to harmful content, cyberbullying, emotional dependency, privacy violations, reduced critical thinking, sleep disruption, sedentary behaviour and social withdrawal.

The research service says the EU AI Act, the General Data Protection Regulation, the European Health Data Space, and sector-specific rules on medical devices and diagnostics form part of the EU framework for managing these risks. It concludes that AI’s health benefits can be realised only if innovation is balanced with safeguards, digital skills and a commitment to keeping human care and social connection at the centre.

Why does it matter?

AI is becoming part of healthcare not only through clinical tools, but also through consumer-facing chatbots, companions, wearables and support systems used by vulnerable groups. That widens the policy challenge from medical safety to privacy, misinformation, emotional dependency, digital skills and the preservation of human care.

The briefing shows why health-related AI governance cannot rely only on innovation or efficiency gains. Trustworthy use will depend on safeguards that protect patients, children, older adults and other vulnerable users while ensuring AI supports, rather than replaces, professional care and social connection.

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ILO warns lifelong learning is critical for the future AI economy

The International Labour Organization has warned t hat governments must place lifelong learning at the centre of economic and social policy as AI, digitalisation and demographic shifts continue transforming labour markets worldwide. The organisation said stronger and more inclusive learning systems are necessary to prevent widening inequality between workers, industries and countries.

According to the ILO’s new report, titled ‘Lifelong learning and skills for the future’, only 16% of people aged between 15 and 64 participated in structured training during the previous year. Access remains significantly higher among full-time employees in formal companies, where employer-supported training reaches 51%.

The ILO report warns that workers in informal jobs and smaller enterprises continue relying mainly on learning through experience instead of structured education programmes. Furthermore, the study found that employers increasingly seek combinations of digital, socio-emotional, communication and problem-solving skills rather than narrow technical expertise alone.

While demand for AI-related capabilities is expected to increase, the report noted that most workers currently use ready-made AI tools that require broader digital literacy, critical thinking and collaborative abilities instead of specialist engineering knowledge.

The ILO also highlighted the growing importance of green and care economy skills. It estimates that 32% of workers globally already perform environmentally relevant tasks, while demand for long-term care workers could almost double by 2050.

The organisation called for greater public investment, stronger institutional coordination and inclusive lifelong learning strategies capable of supporting workers throughout rapidly changing technological and economic transitions.

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Cyberattack disrupts systems across San Diego Community College District

San Diego Community College District reported a cyberattack affecting more than 90,000 students, prompting the shutdown of several systems across its campuses. District officials described the incident as a ‘failed attack’, saying that no data appears to have been compromised.

As a precaution, internet access and key systems, including websites, email, web-based phones, and student registration platforms, were taken offline. The disruption began over the weekend and affected San Diego Miramar College, San Diego Mesa College, San Diego City College, and continuing education campuses across the district.

Classes continued in some locations without internet access, while services such as cafeterias and bookstores were closed. Students also reported relying on personal hotspots and facing difficulties accessing online course materials and classes.

District officials said the cyberattack may have originated from a sophisticated overseas operation. No ransom demand had been reported at the time of publication, and it remained unclear when all systems would be fully restored.

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MIT releases largest Olympiad math dataset for AI and education

Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, alongside partners at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology and HUMAIN, have created MathNet, described as the largest curated dataset of Olympiad-level mathematics assembled to date.

The collection includes more than 30,000 expert-written problems and solutions from 47 countries, spanning 17 languages and multiple decades of competitions.

Unlike earlier datasets focused mainly on a small number of dominant regions, MathNet captures a broader global spread of mathematical traditions, including both text- and image-based problems sourced from official competition booklets. Researchers compiled and standardised thousands of pages of archived material, creating a structured resource intended for both AI evaluation and student training.

The dataset is also designed to test AI systems more rigorously. Early results show that leading models still struggle with complex reasoning, multilingual problems, and visual tasks, underlining uneven progress despite rapid advances in mathematical AI performance.

Beyond benchmarking, MathNet introduces tools for analysing problem similarity and improving retrieval-based learning. Early findings suggest that even advanced models often struggle to identify equivalent mathematical structures across different formats and languages.

Why does it matter?

MathNet highlights persistent gaps in how advanced AI systems reason under strict, competition-level conditions, while also creating a practical resource for education and student preparation. That dual role makes it both a stronger benchmark for mathematical reasoning and a useful tool for learners preparing for high-level mathematics competitions.

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Canada launches a major youth skills funding for digital economy transition

The Government of Canada has announced a C$23.8 million funding initiative to strengthen youth skills for the evolving digital economy through the Digital Skills for Youth programme.

The announcement, led by Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, forms part of a broader effort to prepare younger generations for technological change across the labour market.

The initiative will support training and work experience opportunities for post-secondary graduates, with a focus on emerging fields such as AI, cybersecurity, big data, and automation. By connecting young people with employers, the programme aims to narrow the gap between education and the practical digital skills needed in modern industries.

Funding will be distributed over two years and is open to a wide range of organisations, including for-profit and not-for-profit organisations, public institutions, Indigenous organisations, and provincial or territorial bodies. The programme also includes a flexibility measure for participants in Yukon, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut, where post-secondary education is not required.

The initiative builds on earlier rounds of the programme, which have already supported 6,900 youth internships across Canada since 2018.

Authorities say digital transformation is reshaping employment structures, making targeted skills development increasingly important. In that sense, the initiative is aimed not only at improving employability but also at helping prevent wider inequalities in access to technology-driven opportunities.

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