What’s coming next for aiEDU…

10  AN EYE ON THE FUTURE

By: Emma Doggett Neergaard, Chief Programs Officer @ aiEDU

From Florida to Ohio to California to Montana, the themes of this past year were very clear:

A head-in-the-sand approach to AI will not serve students in the long run.
We need to begin building the skills and capabilities now that will allow young people to thrive in an AI-shaped future
Adults are often the ones who need and want (!) to catch up
There is widespread concern that human judgment and values remain at the center of all AI work

Throughout 2025, we saw a strong drive from educators across the country to confront these realities in school systems. During this time, aiEDU has established itself as a trusted leader in defining what AI readiness means for K-12 education and demonstrating how it can be built into real classrooms and systems. The year ahead will be focused on furthering that impact.

In 2026, aiEDU will go deeper.

We will expand multi-year district partnerships that move beyond initial strategy toward sustained, system-wide approaches to AI readiness. Our professional learning and Trailblazers Fellowship programs will grow to reach more educators and leaders nationwide, while our curriculum work will increasingly embed AI readiness into core subjects and daily instruction. As schools seek support not only in understanding AI but in implementing it responsibly, aiEDU will continue to build expertise by learning alongside educators and translating that learning into practical guidance.

I closed out 2025 thinking about the educators we work alongside every day — specifically their urgency, their openness to new ideas, and their steadfast commitment to students' success. They are the reason this work matters.

I am acutely aware of how uncertain the future of work and opportunity will be when our kindergarteners of today graduate. That uncertainty motivates our work. We’re not trying to predict the future, rather we’re helping schools prepare students to meet it thoughtfully, confidently, and with their humanity intact.

The year ahead is full of opportunity. With a proven model for deep professional learning, a growing network of educational leaders, and ever-expanding district partnerships, aiEDU is positioned to make AI readiness a reality for more schools than ever before.

With gratitude,

~ Emma