The AI for Social Impact Challenge (AIFSI), a UNITAR-certified online AI education programme run by UNITAR and Ureka Education, has brought together more than 200 institutions and organisations across 60 countries and territories within its first months. The programme opened its online learning modules on June 12, 2026, combining AI education with a global challenge aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and requires no technical or coding background. It was also named a Top 5 finalist in the AI in Education category of the AI World Series Awards 2026.
The Gates Foundation this week announced a $1 billion commitment to build and deliver equitable AI tools for schools, frontline health care workers, farmers and others, with 40% going to education, including AI tutoring to individualize learning in classrooms in the U.S. and abroad, or about $400 million. A foundation spokesperson said the tools will be tested in schools serving high shares of low-income students, paired with teacher training, and evaluated by independent researchers before being scaled. New York City announced on Sept. 2 a one-year pause on student-facing generative AI for grades 2-K through 8, affecting nearly 600,000 students.
Google has rolled out new features for Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM), centered on integrating Gemini Live so users can talk to their own notes and materials by voice, with answers strictly grounded in uploaded content, supporting nearly 100 languages and initially available to Google AI Ultra subscribers. It also supports recording class lectures or spoken notes that are automatically transcribed into text and added as new sources, with transcription currently English-only. Google says more than 150 million people use Google Classroom, where teachers can create notebooks, select course materials and assign them to students.
Google launched the AI Educator Series, a training program that lets teachers earn 1 to 3 continuing education units or graduate credits per course, applicable toward career advancement and mandatory professional development requirements. The program is available nationwide to America's 3.2 million teachers and covers basic AI concepts plus hands-on use of Google's education tools for lesson planning, student assessment, and personalized learning. In early pilots, teachers who completed the courses reported 73% more confidence in using AI tools and were twice as likely to implement AI-assisted projects in their classrooms.
Google's AI Educator Series teacher training program now offers college and continuing education credits through partnerships with accredited institutions. The courses cover integrating AI tools into lesson planning, student assessment, and personalized learning. The program targets K-12 and higher education educators, and the credits count toward degree requirements and professional development mandates.
techbuzz.aiEducators / Schools
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On September 9, 2026, the Government of Canada launched the AI Literacy Initiative, a C$13 million program with the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (Amii) offering a free three-hour AI literacy course to post-secondary students at participating universities, covering ethics and applicable uses. The initiative has three channels: the post-secondary course, six chapters of "Essentials for Educators" for K-12 students, and "Essentials for Canadians" launching later this year through community channels and the federal job bank. The government predicts reaching one million post-secondary students and more than 3,000 K-12 teachers.
KIDZ AI Inc. (NASDAQ:KIDZ) announced it secured $1.9 million in funding through its previously announced $500 million Senior Secured Convertible Note financing facility, before deducting placement agent fees and other offering expenses. The company also formed Classover Robix Inc., an operating subsidiary focused on embodied AI hardware development, OEM partnerships, and institutional campus distribution. The Android versions of the KIDZBot companion apps Kidzqbot and Kidzbricks are operational, while the iOS versions remain under development.
KIDZ AI Inc. (NASDAQ:KIDZ) drew $1.9 million from its previously announced $500 million senior secured convertible note facility to support KIDZBot manufacturing and deployment. The company also formed Classover Robix Inc., a subsidiary focused on embodied AI hardware and distribution, spanning proprietary software, curriculum, teacher training, and multi-OEM hardware partnerships. It said it has begun engaging with nationwide high school networks, addressing a potential U.S. market of 16 million students, and was selected to present on "From AI Tools to Outcome-Driven Learning Systems" at the 2026 AI in Education Conference this December.
On September 16, 2026, the Shanghai Institute of Biomedical Technology held an AI4S research practice training showcase at its Laohumin Road campus, co-hosted by its Youth League Committee and Party and Administrative Office. Using an annual assessment paper scoring system as the practical task, trainee representatives presented design concepts, development interaction, problem solving, and deployment optimization, with on-site Q&A. Researcher Lian Qiguo commented on accuracy, intelligence, convenience, and aesthetics. Party Secretary Liu Haifeng and Deputy Secretary Wang Zhen attended, with more than 50 staff and graduate students participating.
Shanghai Science and Technology Party Committee websiteProduct Teams / Schools
Gyeongju in North Gyeongsang Province is converting its AI education offerings from standalone courses into a permanent, structured program open to all residents. The city held an unveiling ceremony for the "Gyeongju Citizens' AI School" on Thursday at the plaza in front of the Gyeongju Smart Media Center. The program has five tracks: a general AI lecture series, a mobile AI classroom, a creative AI application academy, employment and startup training, and an executive course. The mobile AI classroom and creative AI application academy are already running this year, while the other three tracks are set to launch next year.
UNICEF Mongolia has issued a request for applications from a civil society organization to implement a nationwide hybrid coding and AI skills bootcamp for secondary-school students, with an application deadline of September 15, 2026. Building on the "Girls Code" summer bootcamp experience, the 2026 program expands to both girls and boys and includes online learning, mentorship, practical projects, and an in-person capstone showcase in Ulaanbaatar. The indicative budget is $15,000, and applicants must have experience in adolescent digital skills, coding and AI education, and nationwide hybrid delivery.
China Daily reports that after registration opened in March 2026, AI courses at the Seniors University of Shanxi proved so popular that the school expanded enrollment twice, eventually accommodating 244 students across six classes. Students ranged from 50 to 80 years old. The curriculum focuses on practical daily applications, including large models such as Doubao and Qianwen, image and video generation tools such as Dreamina and Kling AI, and the health app Ant Afu. The school also slowed its teaching pace and added safety education on AI face-swapping, false health information and identity fraud.
On 7 September 2023, UNESCO published its first global guidance on generative AI in education and research, authored by Miao Fengchun and Wayne Holmes. The guidance proposes human-centred regulatory steps, including mandating data privacy protection and setting an age limit for independent conversations with generative AI platforms, along with a human-agent and age-appropriate approach to ethical validation and pedagogical design. It also discusses creative uses of generative AI in curriculum design, teaching, learning and research, and the long-term implications for education and research.
