Generative AI (GenAI) is reshaping the educational landscape, beyond teaching and learning. Unlike earlier waves of education technology, much of GenAI is freely accessible and largely used beyond institutional control due to its intuitiveness and versatility. 

This outlook report analyses emerging research that suggests GenAI can support learning when guided by clear teaching principles. However, if designed or used without pedagogical guidance, outsourcing tasks to GenAI simply enhances performance with no real learning gains. The outlook highlights the benefits of GenAI as a tutor, partner and assistant, and synthesises experts’ evidence and insights on the design criteria that make it work for education. 

The outlook presents what governments and other education stakeholders can do. The challenge for policymakers is to ensure that GenAI is a learning partner and not a learning shortcut.

Key findings

• Using GenAI with pedagogical intent can improve learning and foster skills like critical thinking, creativity and collaboration.
• Successfully performing a task with GenAI does not automatically lead to learning.
• Educational GenAI can augment human teaching and tutoring while preserving teachers’ agency.
• 37% of lower secondary teachers used AI for their job in 2024.
• 57% of lower secondary teachers agree that AI helps to write or improve lesson plans.
• 72% of lower secondary teachers believe AI can harm academic integrity by letting students pass off work as their own.