On January 24, 2025, the world celebrates the seventh edition of International Education Day, a day designated by the United Nations General Assembly in 2018 to highlight the transformative role of education in fostering peace and development. Since its first observance in 2019, this day has served as a global platform to underscore education’s contribution to achieving the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Each year, International Education Day is marked with a unique theme that reflects current global priorities and challenges.
This year’s theme, “AI and Education: Preserving Human Agency in a World of Automation,” delves into the interplay between artificial intelligence (AI) and education, emphasizing the importance of maintaining human values, creativity, and autonomy amid rapid technological advancements. It is a timely theme, as the world grapples with the profound implications of AI on various aspects of life, including education.
Education as a Cornerstone of Development
Education is widely recognized as a fundamental driver of sustainable development. It equips individuals with the knowledge, skills, and values needed to participate effectively in society and contributes to economic growth, social cohesion, and global stability. As UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay stated, education must be “anchored in human and social dimensions, even as it embraces the potential of technology.”
The theme for 2024, “Learning for Lasting Peace,” highlighted education’s role in fostering inclusive governance and promoting democratic values. Building on this foundation, the 2025 theme shifts focus to the opportunities and challenges posed by AI in educational settings. As Ms. Azoulay aptly noted, “AI offers major opportunities for education, provided that its deployment in schools is guided by clear ethical principles.”
The Opportunities and Challenges of AI in Education
AI technologies have the potential to revolutionize education by personalizing learning experiences, enhancing accessibility, and automating administrative tasks. For instance, AI-powered tools can provide students with tailored feedback, adaptive learning pathways, and real-time support, catering to diverse learning styles and needs. These tools can also support teachers by streamlining lesson planning, grading, and classroom management, freeing up time for more meaningful interactions with students.
However, the rapid integration of AI into education also raises significant ethical and practical concerns. As computer-driven systems become increasingly sophisticated, the lines between human intention and machine-driven actions can blur. This phenomenon poses critical questions about the preservation and elevation of human agency in educational contexts. Without clear guidelines and ethical frameworks, the use of AI in classrooms could exacerbate existing inequalities, infringe on privacy, and compromise the quality of education.
UNESCO’s Role in Shaping AI’s Impact on Education
UNESCO has been at the forefront of addressing the ethical dimensions of AI for over a decade. In 2021, after extensive consultations, the organization’s member states adopted the first global standard-setting framework for the ethics of AI. This milestone underscored the need for transparency, accountability, and inclusivity in AI deployment.
Recognizing the gap in educational contexts, UNESCO published its ‘Guidance for Generative AI in Education and Research’ in 2023. The guidelines recommend setting a minimum age of 13 years for using AI tools in classrooms and stress the importance of teacher training to ensure responsible AI integration. These efforts reflect UNESCO’s commitment to ensuring that AI serves as a tool to complement rather than replace the human and social dimensions of learning.
