2025 – The Year of AI Making a Big Difference?

At BETT 2025, held at the Excel Centre in London this January, one thing was crystal clear – AI is now front and center in the world of Educational Technology (EdTech). Whether you were strolling through the exhibition hall, attending keynote speeches, or browsing book launches, AI was an unavoidable theme. It’s no surprise – over the past year, AI has rapidly moved from an exciting concept to an everyday tool transforming how schools, educators, and students engage with technology.

Nearly every other stand at BETT had incorporated AI into their offerings in some way, showcasing tools aimed at revolutionising the classroom experience. From AI-powered learning platforms to automated marking systems, companies are racing to harness AI’s potential to make education more efficient and accessible.?

One of the standout moments at the event was Sir Stephen Fry’s conversation with Dr. Anne-Marie Imafidon, where they tackled the big-picture implications of AI on education and society at large. Their discussion went beyond the mechanics of AI tools and delved into the broader cultural, ethical, and even philosophical questions that come with integrating artificial intelligence into daily life.?

On a more practical level, many sessions focused on how AI could help schools with specific challenges, such as streamlining assessment processes. AI-driven tools are now being designed to assist teachers by providing real-time feedback, automating administrative tasks, and even tailoring lesson plans to individual student needs based on learning patterns. While these innovations are exciting, they also raise important questions about implementation – how do we ensure these tools enhance learning rather than replace the human elements that make education so valuable?

AI in policy and Data Protection

AI’s growing role in education was also recognised at a governmental level, with Secretary for Education, Bridget Phillipson, highlighting the potential of AI to reduce teacher workload. This is a significant point – teachers often find themselves bogged down by administrative tasks, from lesson planning to marking and resource creation. AI tools that can automate repetitive work could free up valuable time for teachers to focus on what they do best: teaching and mentoring students.?

However, alongside the excitement, there was also a healthy dose of concern, particularly regarding student data and privacy. AI-powered tools often require vast amounts of data to function effectively, leading to important discussions about security, ethical AI usage, and safeguarding pupil information. With schools increasingly relying on digital platforms, ensuring that AI is implemented responsibly and transparently remains a top priority. It will be interesting to see how policies evolve to keep up with these rapid developments.

Our role in AI innovation

From our perspective, we’re thrilled to have integrated AI into school websites in meaningful, safe ways over the past year. As deepfake technology becomes more sophisticated, schools are understandably worried about how AI-generated content might impact student privacy, particularly regarding images used online. That’s why we’ve introduced a new AI-driven solution that allows schools to create professional-quality photography for their websites – without using actual student photos. Whether you want hyper-realistic images or a more artistic representation, our AI-generated visuals ensure your website reflects your school’s diversity and identity without compromising student privacy.

Additionally, we’ve launched our AI Text Wizard, a game-changer for schools looking to streamline their content creation. We understand that crafting website content, writing school policies, or drafting press releases can be time-consuming. Our AI Text Wizard helps schools generate high-quality text efficiently, making everything from job advertisements to parent communications a breeze. Schools have already reported significant time savings and improved workflow thanks to this tool.

As we look ahead to the rest of 2025, it’s clear that AI is here to stay, and its impact on education will only continue to grow. The key challenge – and opportunity – will be harnessing AI in ways that enhance learning, protect students, and empower teachers. We’re excited to be part of this journey and can’t wait to see how schools continue to innovate with AI.?

What are your thoughts on AI’s role in education? We’d love to hear from you!