Artificial Intelligence in education: From trend to transformative practice

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education is no longer a futuristic concept. It has already become an integral part of many school activities, reshaping how professional educators teach and how students learn. As the presence of AI grows, so too does the responsibility of education professionals to stay informed and skilled in its use—not just to enhance learning, but to harness its broader potential as a support mechanism in the school ecosystem.

This shift is being embraced across Europe, as shown by the project EduAId. With a focus on equipping teachers, school leaders, and professional educators with the knowledge and tools to integrate AI through micro-credentials, EduAId promotes a structured, ethical, and scalable methodology to embed AI into school systems. It reflects a broader understanding: AI is not just a tool to support students in the classroom in the learning process, but methodology and a set of tools to empower professional educators and sustain digital transformation in schools.

Yet, as critical as AI use in teaching improvement is, we must also consider the relational, social and psychological challenges AI can help address. Two other Erasmus funded initiatives which involved several of the partners in the EduAId consortium—AI@Smile and AI@Mediators—demonstrate how AI can work on the emotional, psychological, and social frontlines of education.

AI@Smile: Mental Health, Nature, and Intelligent Prevention

The AI@Smile project (Artificial intelligence and sustainable educational tools for the prevention of teenage psychological disorders) exemplifies how AI can play a key role beyond learning outcomes. This initiative combines technology with nature-based solutions to detect and mitigate signs of mental health deterioration among teenagers. Its three-fold strategy includes:

  • AI-based detection tools, such as a self-assessment chatbot, that can identify early symptoms of anxiety and depression;
  • Training for professional educators and families, empowering them to act as first-line supporters;
  • Outdoor and nature-connected activities, integrated into digital learning platforms to help alleviate mental health challenges.

AI@Smile reflects the importance of preparing school communities—not just for digital transformation—but also for human centred innovation. AI becomes a proactive partner in fostering well-being, not just performance.

AI@Mediators: Tackling Cyberbullying with Smart Tools

Similarly, the AI@Mediators project focuses on using AI to address one of the most urgent issues among students today: cyberbullying. The project’s main outcomes include:

  • An AI-powered chatbot designed to support teenagers with real-time advice and resources on how to handle cyberbullying incidents;
  • Didactic units and MOOCs to build digital citizenship and media literacy among students, professional educators, and parents;
  • A game-based app and self-assessment tool that promotes reflection and awareness around online behaviour and empathy.

By turning AI into a mediator between vulnerable students and the help they need, this project redefines how digital tools can protect, educate, and empower young people.

Final thoughts: Synergies with EduAId, from innovation to integration

As we continue to explore the potential of AI in education, projects like AI@Smile and AI@Mediators remind us that “intelligent” technologies, when human-centred, can create safer, more inclusive, and emotionally supportive learning environments. But this is just the beginning of a broader movement.

EduAId project brings a complementary dimension to this effort. While AI@Smile and AI@Mediators focus on supporting students directly – through emotional well-being and cyberbullying prevention – EduAId shifts the focus to the professional educators themselves. It empowers teachers, school heads, and professional educators to effectively use AI through an innovative system of micro-credentials, promoting continuous professional development and fostering digital leadership in schools.

This creates a promising synergy:

  • EduAId builds the capacity of teachers to understand and implement AI technologies;
  • AI@Smile and AI@Mediators provide concrete models of how AI tools can be used in emotionally intelligent and socially responsible ways;
  • Together, these projects promote AI not just as a tool, but as mindset and methodology—one that integrates ethics, inclusion, and well-being into digital innovation.

Moreover, the shared use of AI-powered chatbots, self-assessment tools, and gamified platforms across all three projects offers practical opportunities for knowledge exchange and potential technology transfer. For example, the emotional support features developed under AI@Smile could inspire new modules for teacher well-being in EduAId’s micro-credential system. Likewise, the cyberbullying detection strategies from AI@Mediators can serve as real-world case studies in EduAId’s training curricula.

All three initiatives are also aligned in their commitment to ethical, responsible, and inclusive use of AI, ensuring that the technologies we adopt do not widen existing gaps but rather bridge them – especially for students with fewer opportunities or those facing emotional distress.

In the end, the power of AI in education does not lie in automation or analytics alone – it lies in its ability to connect people, amplify support systems, and cultivate resilient school communities.

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