Italy is taking steps to integrate artificial intelligence into its education system as Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s administration seeks to bridge the country’s digital skills gap with other EU nations.
This week, as schools reopened across the country, Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara announced that AI-driven software would be piloted in 15 classrooms across four regions. If the trial proves successful, the initiative could be expanded nationwide.
AI tools, accessible via classroom tablets and computers, are designed to serve as “virtual assistants,” helping students with their learning while providing teachers with personalized teaching strategies, Valditara explained in an interview with TGcom24.
According to Eurostat, Italy lags behind most of the European Union in basic digital skills, outperforming only Latvia, Poland, Bulgaria, and Romania.
Although details of the program remain sparse, Valditara’s office has yet to disclose which schools are participating or further specifics about the technology being tested. Francesca Bastagli, head of research at the Fondazione Agnelli educational think tank, expressed cautious optimism, saying that the trial’s evaluation is “promising.” She added that the findings could guide future efforts to ensure that AI tools are effectively and inclusively rolled out in schools.
This push for AI in classrooms comes alongside a new policy banning the use of mobile phones during school hours, including for educational purposes. Italy’s efforts to digitize its schools have faced challenges in the past, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, partly due to the aging teaching workforce, with over half of teachers being 50 years or older, according to OECD data.
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