Recently, the release of OpenAI’s ChatGPT Study Mode and Google Gemini’s Guided Learning mode marked another leap forward in educational technology. But these are not just productivity upgrades; they are, in effect, new voices in the classroom. Voices that are now guiding students on how to think, how to study, and how to solve problems.
Both companies assure us their AI models have been “specially trained” for learning. They promise more personalised support, more adaptive feedback. Yet, neither has explained what pedagogical approach sits behind their algorithms, what methodology shapes their responses, or whose definition of “learning” is being embedded in the code. And that should give educators pause.
Because if we’re not careful, we risk letting AI companies, not teachers, not schools, not universities, define how learning happens.
The Comfort Zone: Digitisation and Digitalisation
For many institutions, the journey with technology has been about two stages:
First came digitisation — converting analogue materials into digital form. Printed textbooks became e-books, lesson notes were stored in shared drives, and archival resources were scanned so they could be accessed online.
Then came digitalisation — taking those digital resources and using them to streamline old processes. We shifted from paper attendance sheets to online registers, from in-class lectures to video conferencing platforms.
These steps were important, even necessary. But they didn’t fundamentally change how education worked. The pedagogy, the power structures and the student experience remained largely the same.
The Missing Leap: Digital Transformation
Digital transformation is not about adding new tools to old systems — it’s about reimagining how education should work in a world that is constantly changing. It means asking fundamental questions: What skills will matter in five to ten years? How should teaching adapt to students who are growing up with AI assistants in their pockets? How can curricula reflect both timeless human values and the realities of a digital-first society?
This is a strategic and cultural shift, not just a technological one. It involves redesigning education from the ground up to be agile, learner-centred, and responsive to changes in the wider world, including the rapid evolution of AI. It calls for assessment models that measure not just memorisation but problem-solving and creativity, for learning environments that blend human expertise with intelligent systems, and for governance structures that can adapt as quickly as the technology itself.
True transformation empowers educators to experiment with AI-powered assessment, create personalised learning pathways, and embed real-time feedback into every stage of the learning journey. And critically, it gives institutions the ability and the authority to decide how these tools are used, rather than simply inheriting the defaults of commercial providers.
Why It Matters More Than Ever
Without this transformation, educators will lack the AI literacy they urgently need in two areas:
- To understand the technology itself — how it works, where it falls short, and how to use it ethically and effectively.
- To understand how students are using it — what questions they ask, how they follow (or don’t follow) its guidance, and what patterns are emerging in their learning.
If that literacy gap remains, companies like OpenAI and Google (through tools like Study Mode and Guided Learning) will quietly become the de facto curriculum designers. Every time a student asks a question, they’re being nudged toward a particular way of learning, one chosen not by their school but by an opaque model trained on undisclosed data and assumptions.
A Strategic Opportunity for Education Leaders
This moment presents a unique opportunity for leadership in education. By placing digital transformation on the strategic agenda, institutions can ensure their educators, and not external algorithms, remain the guiding influence in student learning.
Transformation doesn’t mean replacing teachers; it means empowering them with the tools, skills, and understanding to shape AI use in ways that align with their mission. It means creating space for experimentation, investing in training, and fostering partnerships that bring transparency and pedagogical intent to technology.
When approached this way, digital transformation is not simply a response to AI – it becomes a proactive step in ensuring technology serves the deepest purposes of education.
We are at a moment of choice. AI in learning is here, and it is evolving quickly. The question is whether education will adapt its systems and culture to work alongside it or allow the design of learning itself to drift quietly into the hands of closed, commercial models.
By acting now, we can make sure the voices shaping students’ learning journeys still speak with the values, insights, and vision of educators.