With Google searches for ‘AI’ skyrocketing in 2023 and the global AI market size projected to reach US$243.70bn in 2025, artificial intelligence has officially entered the zeitgeist of the 2020s. AI is reshaping how human society fundamentally functions, and the role of AI across industries will only continue to expand as AI-driven systems become increasingly sophisticated. It’s no surprise, then, that UNESCO has dedicated the International Day of Education 2025 to AI, inspiring reflections on the possibilities, challenges, and ethical responsibilities that this technology elicits in the schooling of children, youth, and adults worldwide.
The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 24 January as International Day of Education to celebrate quality education as a conduit for peace, equality, and wellbeing for every community, everywhere. UNESCO recognises education as a human right and public responsibility, and International Day of Education is an opportunity to engage with education frameworks as a collective and mobilise resources to drive the charge toward educational equity. In the spirit of knowledge sharing, UCL Press Journals presents a range of articles on AI in education, along with supplementary materials to enrich your understanding of education policy.
Understanding AI and Automation in Education
From alleviating administrative duties and tailoring curriculums to computerising admission processes and informing resource allocation, AI can be – and is – used in learning spaces to enhance the educational experience in a way that still honours the unique and essential input of human educators. Uses of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Systematic Reviews of Education Research by Henrik Karlstrøm in the London Review of Education explores how AI and machine learning can improve systematic reviews in education research. By automating processes like literature retrieval, content analysis, and bibliometric mapping, AI can help manage the growing volume and complexity of academic publications.
Karlstrøm also acknowledges that while these technologies enhance efficiency, careful validation and understanding are crucial to address challenges related to transparency, reliability, and potential over-reliance on automated systems. A special feature in the same journal, ‘AI in Education’, brings together articles featuring a diverse perspective on issues related to adjusting to the challenges and opportunities brought by AI in the field of education. Leaton Gray’s article Artificial Intelligence in Schools: Towards a Democratic Future further highlights the need for greater transparency, regulatory frameworks, and collaborative development to ensure AI systems empower students and educators rather than reinforcing commercial interests and systemic biases. These insights underscore the need for balance and ethical analysis in the adoption of AI-enabled machines.
Ensuring the responsible use of AI in education is a self-sustaining cycle. Developing a mass awareness of AI's value and limitations depends on learning pathways that teach AI as a supplementary tool and not a definitive solution. Foregrounding trusted research is crucial for facilitating informed discussions and critically examining the profound impact of AI on the future of education.
Looking Beyond AI: Other Educational Resources
Although the spotlight is on AI this International Day of Education, considering other pedagogical themes is essential to developing a nuanced understanding of empowered education systems. Articles from the International Journal of Social Pedagogy and the International Journal of Development Education and Global Learning explore how education can tackle broader societal challenges. Felton et al.’s Civic Action on Social Media demonstrates how fostering digital media literacy can prepare students for civic engagement in a digital age. Similarly, Wimpenny et al.’s work investigates how collaborative online international learning can deepen students' understanding of global citizenship education.
History Education Research Journal examines the obligation institutions have to decolonise their teaching practices and socially support young people, such as preparing school students to respond to climate crises, engaging with Indigenous scholarship to enhance history education, and embracing scaffolding and translanguaging as pedagogical approaches in teaching history. UCL Open Environment also features research on environmental education, providing a platform for student perspectives on climate change and sustainability education in England and reflecting on the important contribution that all subjects can make towards developing interdisciplinary, complex understandings of the environmental emergency.
Finally, the Architecture_MPS journal offers a critical perspective on higher education. The Death and Life of UK Universities and the Cultural Spaces They Consume critiques how neoliberalism and corporatisation have shaped British universities, urging educators to reclaim these institutions as spaces for cultural and academic growth.
Join the Conversation
Thank you for celebrating International Day of Education with us! Explore these featured articles to learn more about preserving human agency in education in a technologically advancing world.
From December 2025, History Education Research Journal will begin publishing a new thematic area investigating the relationship between generative artificial intelligence and history education. This new theme aims to investigate what the widespread use of generative AI means for history education. Stay up to date with this and stay ahead of the discourse on edtech by signing up for the UCL Press Journals News and Publishing Alerts.
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