The context of the emergence of artificial intelligence in education.
The need for an applied and systematic guide. The purpose and relevance of the paper
We are living a defining moment for the destiny of education. In the midst of an unprecedented technological revolution, in which the pace of progress sometimes exceeds our capacity to adapt, a new paradigm of learning is taking shape. Artificial intelligence (AI) – once the subject of science fiction or theoretical debate – is today an increasingly tangible presence in our professional, social and, perhaps most importantly, educational life. We are no longer talking about a hypothetical future, but about a present that requires urgent, careful and assumed reconfigurations.
This book is a response to this call. It is a guide, but also a map. A tool, but also a manifesto. We aim to explore, explain and inspire. To bring clarity to a field where technology and pedagogy seem to run in parallel directions, although they should collaborate deeply. 126 AIs that change education is a work intended for all those who believe that school can be reinvented – teachers looking for meaning and tools, students who want to learn differently, curious parents, education specialists, researchers, innovators, but also decision-makers who influence educational policy.
Education, in its classical form, has always been linked to the era in which it developed. From clay tablets to textbooks, from blackboards to PowerPoint presentations, each technology has shaped not only the learning tools, but also the content, relationships and values transmitted. However, in the digital age, and especially in the age of artificial intelligence, change is no longer linear, but exponential. We are no longer talking about just optimization, but about profound reconfiguration.
Today, students no longer learn only by reading and listening, but interact with adaptive content, algorithms that anticipate their needs, digital tutors that personalize their learning path. Teachers are no longer the only transmitters of knowledge, but become guides, architects of educational contexts, mediators between digital content and authentic experiences. In this context, AI becomes not only a support tool, but a strategic partner in the educational process.
The book is structured in four parts, each with a clear and complementary role in shaping a complete picture of how AI can transform education.
We start from fundamental questions: How are student behaviors changing in the digital age? What does it mean to be a teacher in a world where AI can generate lessons, grade assignments, or provide personalized feedback? What are the skills we need – not just to survive, but to succeed in the school of the future? This section is anchored in cutting-edge research, international studies, and emerging pedagogical models. It is not just a theoretical presentation, but an X-ray of a world in motion.
The second part provides a framework for systemic understanding of educational AI. Here we propose clear classifications, intuitive tables and concrete suggestions for integrating AI applications into teaching. We distinguish between generative AI, conversational AI, AI for educational analysis, for supporting creativity or for developing critical thinking. We address teachers who need clear guidelines to intelligently choose which type of AI suits them, but also specialists who want to create coherent educational policies or strategies. Part three is the solid content of the book. Here we present 126 artificial intelligence applications with high educational potential. Each application is accompanied by an accessible description, key functionalities, contexts of use, practical examples and a balanced assessment of advantages and limitations. The applications are grouped by areas – foreign languages, sciences, arts, STEM, critical thinking, academic writing, personalized learning, inclusive education, etc. The goal is not just to present tools, but to provide ideas, scenarios, and pedagogical inspiration.
Part four is dedicated to ethics, discernment, and the development of a responsible digital culture. In a world where AI can generate essays, images, and even tests, it is essential to ask ourselves the right questions: What does authentic learning mean in the AI era? How do we ensure that students develop critical thinking, creativity, and empathy, not just the ability to use digital tools? How do we assess correctly in a digitalized environment? How do we keep humanity at the center of education? This part offers good practice guides, pedagogical principles adapted to the technological context, and suggestions for continuing education.
This book does not offer recipes, but proposes directions. It does not give verdicts, but stimulates reflection. It is an invitation to dialogue between education and technology, between pedagogy and innovation, between the past we know and the future we are building.
Artificial intelligence will not replace teachers. But teachers who learn to collaborate with AI will inevitably replace the rigid, unadapted, closed teaching models of the past. For them – brave, open teachers who know that true learning involves curiosity, experimentation, risk, and innovation – this book is written.
We invite you, therefore, to embark on this journey with us. To discover the 126 AIs that can transform not only lessons, but the very essence of the act of learning. And above all, to rediscover your own role in a world that no longer learns only with people, but also together with algorithms.
The Authors