European Commission reports examine AI and digital transformation in education
Two new European Commission reports examine the growing use of generative AI in education and differences in how European school systems are responding to digital transformation.
The European Commission has published two reports examining how artificial intelligence and wider digital technologies are changing teaching and learning across Europe. Published on 22 September 2026, the reports look at the use of generative AI in education and the development of digital education systems and policies.
The report ‘Friend or foe? Evidence from the use of generative artificial intelligence in learning and teaching’ finds that generative AI is gradually becoming a mainstream tool in education and learning practices in the EU. Its effects on learning outcomes, however, depend on how the technology is used, while its longer-term impact on skills remains uncertain.
The report points to teachers as a key factor in determining how generative AI is used in education. It calls for substantial initial and continuing professional development, alongside institutional guidance to support responsible use of the technology.
The second report, ‘Digital education at school in Europe 2026: Bridging gaps in access, teaching and learning’, examines how education systems are responding to wider digital transformation. While most systems have addressed core digital infrastructure, differences remain in access at school level, technical support and the digital environments available to learners and teachers.
Digital competence is included in lower-secondary education curricula across almost all of the systems examined. However, national or standardised assessment of digital competence remains uncommon. Nearly two-thirds of education systems have also introduced strategies, guidance or other policy frameworks addressing artificial intelligence.
The Commission said the findings will contribute to its work on the Union of Skills and inform the forthcoming Education Package, which will cover basic skills, teachers and trainers, and digital education infrastructure. The reports also draw on findings from the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment.
The Commission highlighted the need to address risks associated with the use of digital technologies in education, including bias, privacy and overreliance. Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills Roxana Mînzatu said digital technologies should support learning while serving the needs of citizens.
