Artificial intelligence is now integrated into a wide variety of products and services that K-12 schools use, making it almost inescapable. That’s why a growing number of school districts and states are establishing policies or guidelines for how to use the technology responsibly and why schools are beginning to offer professional development on its application for teaching and school management.
But at the same time, rising pushback from critics of AI in K-12 education asserts that the downsides of the technology far outweigh the upsides.
That tension will likely continue in 2026; here’s a look at the evolving landscape.
