The OECD has published its Digital Education Outlook 2026, examining how generative artificial intelligence is being used in education and what current evidence shows about its impact on learning. The report concludes that generative AI can support education, but only under specific conditions. Its use does not automatically lead to better learning outcomes and may even hinder learning when it replaces active thinking.
According to the OECD, studies show that students can achieve short-term performance gains when using generative AI to complete tasks. However, these gains do not necessarily translate into deeper understanding or long-term learning if AI systems take over essential cognitive processes. Learning benefits emerge mainly when AI is used to support, rather than substitute, student reasoning.
The report identifies three main roles in which generative AI can be effective. As a tutor, AI can provide explanations, hints, and structured practice adapted to a learner’s level. As a learning partner, it can support dialogue, reflection, and exploration. As an assistant, it can help teachers and students with preparation, feedback summarisation, and administrative tasks. In all cases, the OECD stresses that human oversight remains critical.
The Outlook also outlines several risks. One is the potential erosion of learning when students rely on AI-generated answers instead of engaging with the material themselves. Another is inequality, as access to high-quality tools, guidance, and infrastructure varies widely between and within countries. The report also points to challenges for assessment, since traditional exams and assignments may no longer reliably indicate what students know or can do when AI tools are widely available. In addition, governance is complicated by the fact that many generative AI tools are used outside formal institutional control.
To address these issues, the OECD argues that education systems must adapt. Curricula, assessment methods, and teacher training need to evolve to reflect the presence of generative AI. The report emphasises that AI should support professional judgment rather than replace it, and that assessment should increasingly focus on reasoning processes, problem-solving, and human evaluation instead of final outputs alone.
The OECD calls on policymakers to invest in teacher capacity and AI literacy, establish clear guidelines for acceptable use, and ensure that the deployment of generative AI is ethical, transparent, and evidence-based. Rather than treating AI as a standalone solution, the organisation frames it as one component of a broader educational strategy.
