Rules made up, smarter school mapping, and rewriting the script on AI readiness are this week’s signals. Each week, we spotlight signals of change in AI and education – and consider what they might mean for the future of learning in low- and middle-income countries. We use the Three Horizons framework to keep track of what is already improving existing systems, what might soon change the status quo, and what might change learning in the AI age.
Upgrade: Systemic change in small steps Chilean teacher’s stamp sparks debate
A Chilean teacher’s custom stamp – reading “I suspect use of AI. must explain orally” has gone viral across Latin America, igniting social media debate about how AI is used in classrooms and what to do when the rules are unclear. (From T13, July 27, 2025) Why it matters now: the meme conceals a real sense of unease. We’re hearing the same in our teacher surveys: practice is outpacing policy, leaving educators to improvise – risking inequity where support and training are uneven.
Disrupt: Innovations challenge the status quo
A data science alliance in Togo
Togo’s government, working with local data scientists and CEGA, is building a national platform to use AI, satellite imagery, and ground data for smarter public decision-making. The early focus is agriculture, but education is next – including pinpointing priority areas for school construction. (Source: UC Berkeley Research, 25th July 2025)
Watch for… how this locally-led data science model influences the region. Policy is being shaped by predictive data, and AI is supporting rather than replacing human decision-makers, as evidenced by this approach. Transform: New visions of the future
Argentina links AI readiness to deeper reform
In a new national plan to integrate AI into classrooms, Argentina argues that education must confront three foundational challenges: stop attributing human qualities like intention to AI (narrative), shift from rote memorization to meaning-making (model), and adopt a more agile, responsible approach to integration (paradigm). (Source: Official website of the Argentine State, 25th July 2025)
