Latest news with #AIeducation
Bloomberg
4 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Squirrel AI Targets 2026 IPO, Says Founder
Chinese education technology firm Squirrel AI is aiming for an initial public offering in 2026. The company is currently considering whether to list on the Nasdaq or in Hong Kong. Founder Derek Li says the AI education sector is booming this year, largely due to the emergence of DeepSeek, which has significantly boosted public awareness and recognition of AI technologies. Li spoke exclusively with Bloomberg TV's Annabelle Droulers. (Source: Bloomberg)
Arab News
10-07-2025
- Science
- Arab News
Saudi Arabia to introduce AI education at all grade levels starting this year
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia will integrate artificial intelligence education throughout the country's public school system beginning in the coming academic year. The introduction of this nationwide AI curriculum will support the Kingdom's Human Capability Development Program, part of the Vision 2030 plan for national development and diversification, which is designed to create a comprehensive education system that strengthens core values and boosts the nation's global competitiveness and AI leadership. Students will learn how to develop innovative technology solutions, beginning in elementary school and continuing through secondary education, university studies, technical training and lifelong-learning programs, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The curriculum unveiled by the National Curriculum Center, with the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, and the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority, features age-appropriate AI modules in the form of interactive and hands-on teaching. They are designed to connect between grade levels to ensure progressive development of skills and comprehensive student-evaluation systems. It follows the announcement by the SDAIA in April, during the Human Capability Initiative conference in Riyadh, of an 'Introduction to Artificial Intelligence' course for third-year high school students in the general track, in collaboration with the Curriculum Center and the Education Ministry. This introductory course will serve as the initial phase of the curriculum development and establish the groundwork for the incorporation of AI concepts throughout academic programs, the Saudi Press Agency added.
New York Times
09-07-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Microsoft Pledges $4 Billion Toward A.I. Education
Microsoft said on Wednesday that it planned to give more than $4 billion in cash and technology services to train millions of people to use artificial intelligence, amid an intensifying Silicon Valley crusade to embed chatbots into classrooms. Microsoft, the maker of the Copilot chatbot, said the resources would go to schools, community colleges, technical colleges and nonprofits. The company is also starting a new training program, Microsoft Elevate Academy, to 'deliver A.I. education and skilling at scale' and help 20 million people earn certificates in A.I. 'Microsoft will serve as an advocate to ensure that students in every school across the country have access to A.I. education,' Brad Smith, the president of Microsoft, said in an interview on Sunday. Microsoft did not immediately specify how much of the more than $4 billion the company planned to dispense as grants and how much of it would be in the form of Microsoft A.I. services and cloud computing credits. The announcement comes as tech companies are racing to train millions of teachers and students on their new A.I. tools. Even so, researchers say it is too soon to tell whether the classroom chatbots will end up improving educational outcomes or eroding important skills like critical thinking. On Tuesday, the American Federation of Teachers, a union representing 1.8 million members, said it was setting up a national A.I. training center for educators, with $23 million in funding from Microsoft and two other chatbot makers, OpenAI and Anthropic. Last week, several dozen companies — including Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia and OpenAI — signed a White House pledge promising to provide schools with funding, technology and training materials for A.I. education. In 2023, Amazon announced a new company program, called 'A.I. Ready,' to provide free online Amazon A.I. skills courses for two million people. Before Microsoft's new A.I. training campaign, the tech giant worked for over a decade to boost computer science education in schools, including lobbying for new state education laws. Microsoft also funded nonprofit education groups like its 'Hour of Code' lessons have been used by tens of millions of school children around the globe. Now that A.I. tools can generate computer code, tech companies that were once big coding boosters are pivoting to chatbots. As part of Microsoft's announcement on Wednesday, the company said it was backing a new program called 'Hour of A.I.' 'Coding changed the work of software developers, but it didn't change every occupation and profession, or the work of every professional, the way A.I. probably will,' Mr. Smith said. 'So we need to move faster for A.I. than we did for computer science.'
Forbes
02-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
What The White House AI Education Plan Must Get Right
LOS ANGELES-CA-MARCH 20, 2024: Saron Henok, 10, uses Ed, a new district-developed Artificial ... More Intelligence-assisted "learning acceleration web-based platform that will boost student success and revolutionize how K-12 education is tailored to meet individual needs," during the official launch event at Edward R. Roybal Learning Center in Los Angeles on March 20, 2024. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) The White House announced a sweeping 'AI Education Pledge' Monday, with more than 60 companies, including Microsoft, OpenAI, Google and McGraw Hill, committing to deliver AI curriculum, professional development and tools to K–12 schools. It's a major policy shift, signaling the Trump administration's move to fast-track classroom AI adoption. But one announcement won't ensure equity, readiness or trust. With the administration now tasked with delivering a full AI action plan by mid-July, the real work begins. The question is not whether AI will shape the future of learning, but how deliberately we prepare schools, educators and students to lead that future. I spoke with many of the world's most respected education experts on this topic — including the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's Andreas Schleicher, Harvard's Chris Dede, the American Federation of Teachers' Randi Weingarten and Finnish-Australian thought leader Pasi Sahlberg. Their insights offer a blueprint the White House cannot afford to ignore. 1. Teacher Training Must Come First New tools are not a substitute for professional learning. As the Weingarten has emphasized, basic AI literacy should be mandatory before teachers are expected to integrate AI into instruction. That doesn't mean mastering code — it means understanding how tools work, where they fail and when to use them. Teachers also need time, not just tools. Without space to explore and evaluate, even the best platforms will gather dust. 2. Students Need More Than Devices One of the most persistent myths in edtech is that access equals equity. But connectivity alone doesn't close learning gaps. Students — especially those in under-resourced or disrupted environments — need support to use these tools confidently and critically. Equity in AI means safe platforms, strong scaffolds and protections from harmful content and algorithmic bias. 3. Hybrid Readiness Is Non-Negotiable In just the past year, more than 210 million students missed school due to climate shocks, illness or conflict. As Dede told me, the world is now irreversibly hybrid. Systems that insist on in-person learning as the only 'real' learning are setting their students up to fall behind. The next emergency isn't a hypothetical — it's inevitable. A national action plan should require every district to have a pre-approved hybrid readiness protocol that includes devices, Wi-Fi mapping, teacher training and student agency metrics. 4. Educators Must Co-Design, Not Just Comply OECD's Schleicher reminded me that AI is 'just an amplifier' — it will scale both good and bad practice. What matters is not the tool, but how it's used. One powerful policy lever since 2020? Engaging educators as co-designers of the digital tools they'll use, not just passive recipients. Edtech that's built with teachers, not just for them, is far more likely to be adopted — and trusted. 5. We Must Protect the Human Layer Sahlberg's reminder stays with me: learning never stopped when schools closed during COVID-19 — it just changed form. Many young people created their own learning systems using digital tools and peer networks. But that doesn't mean we should hand over education to algorithms. The irreplaceable power of human relationships — of teacher-student trust — must remain central, especially as AI enters the classroom. The Bottom Line AI can personalize, support and extend learning. But it cannot replace the values, relationships and pedagogical wisdom at the heart of education. Any national action plan must balance innovation with integrity, scaling what works and protecting what matters. According to the pledge, companies have committed to providing curriculum, professional development, free resources, funding and safe platform access — important steps. But real impact won't come from donations alone. It will come from district-level capacity, community-level trust and national leadership that centers teachers and students at every step. This is a rare moment: to shape a generation of learners not just fluent in AI, but empowered by it. Let's make sure the action plan doesn't just check a policy box — but builds a future where every child can thrive.
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cognizant Among First to Sign White House Pledge to Invest in AI Education for America's Youth
TEANECK, N.J., July 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Cognizant was recognized as one of the first organizations to sign the White House's Pledge to America's Youth: Investing in Artificial Intelligence (AI) Education. Cognizant joins more than 60 leading U.S. organizations that have committed to supporting America's youth and investing in AI education through this pledge. The pledge is designed to support the goals and mission of President Trump's executive order Advancing Artificial Intelligence Education for America's Youth. Working alongside the White House Task Force on Artificial Intelligence Education, the organizations involved in the pledge aim to make AI education accessible to K-12 students across the United States, fostering curiosity in technology and preparing the next generation for an AI-driven economy. The pledges made by these 60+ companies intend to provide resources for youth and teachers through funding, grants, educational materials, technology, tools, professional development programs for teachers, workforce development resources, and technical expertise and mentorship over the next four years. "We are honored to be among the first to join the White House's pledge to invest in AI education for America's youth," said Ravi Kumar S., CEO of Cognizant. "At Cognizant, we recognize the critical importance of investing in upskilling local communities. This pledge underscores our commitment to equip the next generation with the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in the AI era. We're not only fostering curiosity in technology but also ensuring a brighter future for all." As a U.S. headquartered company, Cognizant's support of this pledge underscores its deep commitment to training local communities in the United States and preparing the global workforce for gainful employment in the digital age. Through Cognizant's global upskilling initiative Synapse, it aims to train one million individuals on advanced technologies like AI by 2026. About CognizantCognizant (Nasdaq-100: CTSH) engineers modern businesses. We help our clients modernize technology, reimagine processes and transform experiences so they can stay ahead in our fast-changing world. Together, we're improving everyday life. See how at or @cognizant. For more information, contact: U.S. Name Gabrielle Gugliocciello Email Jeff DeMarrais Email / APAC Name Christina Schneider Email India Name Rashmi Vasisht Email View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Cognizant Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
