Council of the EU Calls for Increased AI literacy of Teachers

Council of the EU Calls for Increased AI literacy of Teachers

On 11 May 2026, the Council of the EU approved Conclusions on Teachers in the Era of Artificial Intelligence (AI), calling on Member States to ensure that teachers are equipped with the skills, knowledge and support needed to use and teach about AI effectively. The Conclusions emphasise that teachers must remain at the centre of the learning process and that AI should support, rather than replace, pedagogical autonomy and human interaction in education. 

The Council called on Member States to:

• Support teachers to build on their existing digital skills and competences so that they can use and teach about AI tools and technologies effectively, while understanding their benefits and risks. 
• Integrate AI literacy into initial teacher education, induction programmes and continuous professional development. 
• Promote the use of trustworthy, ethical, human-centred and education-specific AI tools that are appropriate for learners’ age and educational needs.
• Enable teachers to use AI critically, responsibly and confidently while safeguarding pedagogical autonomy, professional judgement and learner well-being. 
• Involve teachers in the design, implementation and evaluation of AI initiatives and support research on the impact of AI on teaching and learning. 
• Promote ethical, safe and trustworthy approaches to AI, including guidance on data protection, accountability and risk awareness.
• Address issues of equity and accessibility, including linguistic accessibility and regional
• disparities, by promoting fair access to AI tools, digital infrastructure and high-quality digital resources for all teachers and learners 
• Ensure that the use of AI contributes to sustainable working conditions and does not create additional pressure on teachers.

The Conclusions also call on the European Commission to continue supporting cooperation, research and evidence-sharing on AI in education, further disseminating the updated Guidance on the ethical use of AI and data in teaching and learning for educators, and Guidelines for teachers and educators on tackling disinformation and promoting digital literacy through education and training, update the DigCompEdu framework to reflect rapid technological developments, and support Member States in implementing the AI Act and addressing data-protection challenges in education.

Regarding accessibility and disability, the Conclusions contain several positive references. The Council highlights that AI can support inclusion by providing educational resources for learners with disabilities and special educational needs and can improve accessibility for learners from disadvantaged, marginalised, rural and remote backgrounds.