AI is rapidly entering classrooms through AI-generated learning materials, adaptive tutoring systems, and data-driven decision-making tools. While these developments are often discussed in pedagogical or ethical terms, a new study highlights a more fundamental challenge: AI is reshaping how education systems are governed.
The research argues that AI functions as a systemic and transversal actor, influencing decision-making across multiple levels of education systems. AI is developed and regulated centrally, yet its effects are experienced locally in schools and classrooms, creating a governance gap that existing hybrid governance models struggle to address.
The study distinguishes between AI-generated educational content and AI tutoring systems, showing how both can support personalization but also risk homogenizing learning processes, intensifying surveillance, and undermining professional and learner autonomy. To address these challenges, the article proposes a reconfigured hybrid governance approach, supported by concrete policy recommendations focused on accountability, transparency, and human oversight.
The work titled “ Rethinking Education Governance in the Age of AI ”, was published on Frontiers of Digital Education (published on February 19, 2026).
Frontiers of Digital Education
Experimental study
Not applicable
Rethinking Education Governance in the Age of AI
19-Feb-2026