How can AI help solve the global learning crisis?

In Sub-Saharan Africa, 9 out of 10 children are in what the World Bank defines as ‘learning poverty’ - in other words, they are unable to read a simple sentence by age 10. This is the heart of a global learning crisis, that will profoundly undermine the achievement of all of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Generative AI is radically reshaping what’s possible in education, and is creating new, once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to tackle the global learning crisis. At AI-for-education.org, we’re working closely with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and others to identify the most exciting new innovations, and support product developers, governments, tech companies and educators to equitably improve learning at scale in low-and-middle income countries. In this speech, I’ll share everything we’re learning about the potential of AI to transform education for the world’s most disadvantaged children, as well as the risks. I’ll cover the most exciting use cases we’re seeing, how we can determine which products will actually work to improve learning, and what still needs to happen if we are to realise the promise of AI to help ensure that every child receives a quality education.