## This Weekly Update: AI Agents Transforming Education

The world of education is changing quickly as schools and universities start using agentic AI—a powerful new type of artificial intelligence that can think, plan, and make decisions almost like a person would. This week's news shows how this technology is beginning to reshape classrooms and learning experiences worldwide.

Universities Lead the Way with Agentic AI

Universities are at the front of using agentic AI in education. The University of South Florida (USF) is one example of a school using agentic AI to make technology easier for students to use. Instead of making students figure out complicated computer systems, agentic AI can help by understanding what students need and doing tasks automatically. This means students can spend more time learning and less time fighting with confusing technology. Researchers at Newcastle University in Australia are also studying how AI agents can work together with humans—like a helpful partner—to make learning smoother and less tiring for students.

New Journal Helps Teachers Understand AI

This year, a brand new journal called AI-Enhanced Learning started to help teachers and educators understand how to use artificial intelligence wisely in schools. The journal explains that AI has been around in different forms for a long time, and that classrooms have always been slow to catch up with new technology. The most important idea is that teachers should use AI as a tool to help students think harder, not to do all the thinking for them. When students struggle with hard problems and have to figure things out, they learn better. AI can make that struggle more productive and helpful.

Big Changes in American Schools

In the United States, schools are making big changes about AI. In 2025, the number of school districts training teachers to use AI nearly doubled from 24% to 48%. This means more teachers are learning how to use these tools in their classrooms. Some cities are moving fast: Miami-Dade County Public Schools in Florida went from banning chatbots just two years ago to giving AI tools to 100,000 high school students in 2025.

However, schools are still struggling to create fair rules about AI. By spring 2025, only 40% of districts had written policies about how to use AI in schools. This is a big gap—schools need clear rules so that students use AI the right way and teachers know what is allowed.

Big Tech Companies Help Universities

Major technology companies are excited about helping universities use AI. Google is giving free access to its Gemini AI tool to college students, and OpenAI promised to give $50 million to help universities do research with AI. Microsoft committed $4 billion to its education program, and Google pledged $1 billion for higher education. These big investments show how serious tech companies are about making AI part of college learning.

Teaching AI Literacy is Now a Priority

Experts agree that students and teachers need to learn not just *how* to use AI, but also how to use it wisely and safely. This is called AI literacy. Teachers need to understand how AI works so they can help students use it properly and think about when AI should be used and when it shouldn't. One organization called EqualAI started an AI Literacy Initiative this year to teach people in different cities—including places like Tennessee, Arizona, and Mississippi—how to understand and use AI responsibly. The idea is that before AI changes how we work and learn, people should understand what it does and how it affects them.

The Big Challenge: Making Sure AI Helps Everyone

While AI offers amazing opportunities, there are real worries. Some people are concerned that using too much technology in schools might mean students read fewer books and spend more time on screens. Other people worry that AI might not work fairly for all students. The key question educators are asking is: How can we use AI to make learning better for every student, not just some? Researchers say that well-designed AI tools should make learning deeper and more meaningful, not easier in a way that means less thinking.

As schools move forward with agentic AI, the most important thing is combining smart technology with human teachers who care about their students. AI works best when it helps teachers focus on what they do best—inspiring and guiding young people to think and grow.