OpenAI launches Education for Countries to embed AI across national school systems
New programme will work with governments and university consortia to personalise learning, cut bureaucracy and build AI skills, starting with eight countries across Europe, the Middle East and the Caribbean.
OpenAI has launched Education for Countries, an initiative designed to help governments and university consortia integrate artificial intelligence into national education systems.
In a statement, the company said the programme aims to personalise learning for students, reduce administrative workloads for educators and better prepare graduates for the workforce. Rather than focusing on individual institutions, Education for Countries is framed as a system-level effort, combining technology, research and training with policy collaboration.
The programme brings together several elements. These include AI tools for learning, large-scale research into educational outcomes, tailored training and certification pathways, and a global network of public-sector partners. OpenAI said the goal is not simply to introduce new software, but to support long-term changes in how education systems operate and measure success.
At the centre of the offer are learning tools built on ChatGPT. OpenAI said participating countries will have access to ChatGPT Edu, GPT-5.2 study mode and canvas features that can be customised to local curricula and learning priorities. For a lay reader, this means students and educators can use AI to support studying, lesson planning and research in ways that are adapted to national education standards rather than generic templates.
The company said it will also collaborate with partners on national research initiatives to assess how AI affects learning over time. Training will be delivered through the OpenAI Academy, ranging from introductory AI literacy to more advanced, ChatGPT-based certifications for educators and students.
The first cohort of Education for Countries partners includes Estonia, Greece, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Slovakia, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Arab Emirates, and Italy’s Conference of University Rectors of Italy, known as CRUI.
OpenAI highlighted Estonia as an early example of national-scale deployment. According to the company, ChatGPT Edu has been rolled out nationwide across public universities and secondary schools, reaching more than 30,000 students, educators and researchers in its first year. A longitudinal study, carried out with the University of Tartu and Stanford University, will track outcomes for 20,000 students over time to assess the impact of AI-supported learning.
Rollouts under the programme will follow a phased approach. OpenAI said deployments will start with tools and training for educators, before expanding access to students. ChatGPT Edu is initially available to higher-education students, while access for high-school students will begin through small pilots aligned with local curricula.
The company said it is also working on age-appropriate model behaviour and safeguards, reflecting concerns about how younger students interact with generative AI. It added that it is developing AI literacy content with partners, including Common Sense Media, which focuses on safe and responsible technology use by children and families.
“We believe AI in education should strengthen how students learn, not just what they know,” said Ivo Visak, chief executive of AI Leap, an education-focused organisation involved in the programme. The emphasis, OpenAI said, is on supporting critical thinking, problem-solving and independent learning rather than replacing traditional teaching.
The initiative comes as education systems worldwide grapple with how to respond to the rapid uptake of generative AI tools by students. Many universities and schools have struggled to balance experimentation with concerns about academic integrity, data protection and unequal access.
By working directly with governments and consortia, OpenAI is positioning Education for Countries as a way to move beyond ad hoc adoption. The company argues that national coordination can help set standards, provide training at scale and ensure that AI tools are introduced in line with public policy goals.
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OpenAI said it plans to announce the next cohort of partner countries later in 2026 and invited governments and education authorities interested in joining the programme to contact its team.
Whether Education for Countries succeeds will depend on implementation as much as ambition. Integrating AI into national education systems requires not only technology, but teacher training, curriculum alignment and sustained evaluation. OpenAI’s approach suggests it is betting that careful, phased rollouts and long-term research will be key to turning AI from a classroom disruption into an accepted part of how students learn.
The Recap
- OpenAI launched Education for Countries to integrate AI into schools.
- ChatGPT Edu reached more than 30,000 users in Estonia.
- The company will announce the next cohort later in 2026.
