International schools group GEMS Education will introduce “custom-built AI agents” in classrooms, in a push to improve “fluency” in artificial intelligence across all school subjects.
GEMS also plans to expand staff and student AI-training programmes as part of an existing collaboration with Microsoft, initially announced in July 2024.
That collaboration is a “system-wide strategy” within the group as of today, says GEMS, with “practical tools and AI fluency…now reaching every school”.
AI agents given broad remit in schools
AI agents are often described as software systems that can learn from experience to improve their performance in specific areas.
GEMS wants customised, subject-specific AI agents to help with “differentiated instruction, formative assessment and lesson planning”. Early pilots are running in some schools, with wider rollout planned for 2025-26.
Baz Nijjar, GEMS vice-president for education technology and digital innovation, said: “We are developing bespoke AI agents to enhance curriculum delivery, personalise assessment and support every learner, while ensuring students continue to build essential human qualities such as empathy, critical thinking, creativity and collaboration.”
GEMS said the “real-world impact” of further integrating AI into teaching, learning and leadership includes:
- Leadership training using Microsoft Copilot, designed to “streamline workflows and drive strategic decisions”.
- Use of Copilot by school leaders to “automate admin and focus on pedagogy”.
- “AI fluency programmes” for all teachers, support staff and students aged 13 and over.
- AI concepts to be “woven into” British, International Baccalaureate, American and Indian curricula, with a focus on creativity, ethics and problem solving.
The group is also working on Arabic-language AI tools, covering translation, content creation and Minecraft-based modules, “with cultural relevance and linguistic inclusivity central to the programme’s design”.
GEMS, whose portfolio includes around 50 schools in the Middle East, says that over 5,000 of its students and educators are already trained in real-world AI application.
Technology ‘reshaping’ education
Dino Varkey, chief executive officer at GEMS Education, said: “We recognise that technology is no longer an accessory to education - it is the force reshaping it. That’s why we are unwavering in our mission to empower every educator and student with the tools, knowledge and mindset needed to thrive in a world driven by AI.”
Naim Yazbeck, general manager of Microsoft UAE, said: “At Microsoft, we aim to responsibly leverage AI to enhance education and support the country’s leadership in equipping students with relevant skills, evident in the government’s recent announcement on introducing AI skills into the national curriculum.”
The GEMS approach to AI will have “a strong emphasis on transferable skills, ethical use and cultural relevance”, according to chief education officer Lisa Crausby.
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