I predict that, over the next 12 months, education and EdTech will see three major shifts in how students learn with AI.

1. Students will move from using AI to building with it. AI literacy will mean more than prompting a chatbot. Students will learn how these systems work, judge their outputs and limits, and build their own AI-powered solutions to real problems.  The shift from using AI to building with it won't start in a research lab. It will start in classrooms that already  have the hardware, the software, and the track record to make it real.

2. AI learning will move from the screen into the physical world. Students will build intelligent systems that sense, decide, and act, using sensors, robotics, computer vision, and on-device AI. Learning gets more hands-on and experimental. Tech companies like Arduino, now as a part of Qualcomm, play a critical role to building toward this future with easy to use and affordable solutions that are open source and can be used to scale AI from your screen and chatbots into Physical devices across millions; truly democratizing AI.

3. Every classroom will have the potential to become an AI lab. Affordable, accessible hardware will let students work with real-world data, train and deploy models, and run AI directly on devices. Students will understand the technology instead of just consuming it, and the best of them will go on to shape it.

I predict that, over the next 12 months, education and EdTech will AI is going to change education significantly.

But the conversation won't just be about what AI can do. It will be about how education providers use it safely. AI is here. Staff are using tools and platforms, sometimes without their organisation having visibility of what is used or what data is uploaded. The challenge is putting structure around that: approved platforms, policies, controls and understanding where data goes. At the same time, cyber security isn't getting easier. Education providers hold huge amounts of sensitive student, staff and safeguarding information and rely on technology to keep teaching, learning and administration running. AI will bring opportunities, from removing repetitive administration to helping people work more efficiently, but it introduces another area that needs managing. Our view is that education providers shouldn't be scared of AI, but neither should they rush into it without doing the groundwork. Understand your environment and your data. Decide what platforms you will use. Put security and policies around them and then look at where AI can genuinely add value. That, for us, is where education and EdTech are heading: more AI, but much more focus on security, governance and doing it properly.

I predict that, over the next 12 months, education and EdTech will increasingly adopt Edge AI PC devices.

AI is already a top priority for 60% of educators surveyed at Bett UK 2026. In 2027 the bigger decision will be where that AI runs. Running AI on the device, instead of in the cloud, changes three things for schools. Pupil data can stay on the device, which makes safeguarding and GDPR far simpler to manage. Lessons keep working when the Wi-Fi is busy or down. And schools can use AI tools without adding yet another per-pupil cloud subscription to a stretched budget. Edge AI PCs, with dedicated AI processors built in, make this practical at classroom scale. A compact Edge AI mini-PC can turn an existing classroom into an AI-ready space, supporting everything from creative media and computing to SEND, with on-device transcription and translation. MSI already supports large education estates, including BCWCAT and many others, with devices deployed across primary schools, secondary schools, colleges and universities.

I predict that, over the next 12 months, education and EdTech will stop treating cybersecurity as an IT task and start treating it as the foundation for innovation.

With 49% of primary and 73% of secondary schools identifying a breach or attack in the past year, schools will seek protection that is affordable, understandable and practical to manage, acting now rather than waiting for DfE's 2030 standards.

AI will strengthen threat detection, but layered protection across email, web filtering, staff awareness and data recovery will remain essential. Schools will ask of AI security tools what they ask of classroom AI: what can it access, where does data go and when is human review needed?

Managed service providers and education partners will become central to progress. Vendors that equip them with training, clear guidance and tools that fit everyday workflows will extend specialist expertise to schools that cannot do everything in-house.

Leadership ownership will also grow. Schools will agree who acts, what to recover first and how staff communicate when something goes wrong, so innovation rests on resilience they can rely on.

The number one priority for education leaders as they plan for 2027 should be ensuring that every child has equitable access to meaningful learning opportunities in an increasingly digital world.

As artificial intelligence and emerging technologies reshape education, we must ensure that innovation serves all learners, regardless of their abilities, backgrounds or learning needs.

This requires moving beyond simply introducing more technology into classrooms. We need to rethink how children learn, combining hands-on experiences, accessible digital tools and inclusive teaching approaches that develop creativity, critical thinking and computational thinking, as Scratch Tactile / Tactile Jr (www.scratchtactile.org) and Diversi:bit (www.diversibit.org) demonstrate by making coding, electronics and robotics accessible to diverse learners.

Equally important is empowering teachers with the training, resources and confidence to create inclusive learning environments.

The real measure of educational innovation is its ability to remove barriers, expand opportunities and ensure that no child is left behind in shaping the digital future.

The biggest challenge facing educators and the best opportunity for EdTech in 2027 will be… Helping young people to re-engage with education through cross-curricular learning centred on real-world issues to empower youth voice and inspire a passion for knowledge and skills development. The why behind the what.

I predict that, over the next 12 months, education and EdTech will shift from AI experimentation to AI accountability.

After a period of piloting generative AI tools, schools will start asking harder questions: Does this improve learning outcomes? Is student data protected? Can teachers realistically use it within a single lesson? Vendors unable to answer with evidence will lose ground to those offering curriculum-aligned, measurable solutions. AI will also move from standalone chatbots into the core of learning platforms, embedded in assessment, feedback, and lesson planning. Finally, procurement will increasingly favor localized content built for each country's curriculum and language context over one-size-fits-all global products.

At Visang Education, this is the direction we pursue. Building on decades of developing Korea's school textbooks and digital content, we create programs such as ELiF, wings, and klass, among others, that pair proven pedagogy with technology, adapted to each market with local partners. We look forward to helping schools move from experimenting with EdTech to achieving measurable results.

Three ways education will look different by the end of 2027 are meeting rising safeguarding expectations for off-site activities with less money to spend.

Senior leaders and parents increasingly want to know where students are on Duke of Edinburgh expeditions and school trips. Budgets are moving the other way. At TrackTrail®, we now hire out GPS trackers five times as often as we sell them. Two years ago the ratio was 2.5 to one. Our reading is that schools find it harder to release a lump sum for equipment, even when they value it. A hire turns that purchase into a per-trip cost that fits a department budget or the expedition fee. We expect this shift to continue through 2027. The opportunity for EdTech is to stop asking schools to own kit they use a few weekends a year, and offer access priced around how they actually use it. Tracking supports staff supervision. It never replaces it. Used well, it lets young people go further on their own while staff and parents get the reassurance they need.

The biggest challenge facing educators in 2027 will be delivering inclusive, engaging and personalised learning while managing limited budgets, staff pressures and diverse pupil needs.

Schools must find effective ways to support different abilities, improve participation and maintain engagement, particularly in SEND settings.

The greatest opportunity for EdTech will be using interactive technology to make learning more accessible, active and enjoyable. Solutions that encourage movement, collaboration and hands-on participation can support curriculum-based learning, physical development and sensory needs.

Systems such as iSportsWall and iSportsFloor can transform school spaces into flexible learning environments. With over 150 educational, sensory, fitness and entertainment modules, they support different abilities, teaching styles and lesson objectives. Their mobile technology also allows activities to take place throughout the school.

In 2027, EdTech should complement teachers by reducing barriers to learning, encouraging participation and creating inclusive environments where every pupil has the opportunity to develop, achieve and thrive.

The biggest challenge facing educators in 2027 will be the same thing: meeting the needs of every child with stretched resources.

Demand for SEND support keeps growing while budgets and staffing remain under pressure. That is exactly where EdTech can earn its place, by giving teachers practical tools that personalise learning, build confidence and independence, and reach pupils who struggle in a traditional classroom.

In my (biased!) opinion, virtual reality will move from a nice-to-have to a must-have, and in some settings we are already seeing this. It will give students once-unimaginable field trips and immersive experiences, put an end to “one size fits all” delivery, help schools stand out to parents, and, most importantly, help students of all abilities improve, engage with and enjoy their education.

The number one priority for education leaders as they plan for 2027 should be Start, audit and/or refine your AI strategy with an educational philosophy before you start developing a procurement plan.

First - identify the experiences, decisions, and relationships you do not want to automate - What must a student actually know? What must they be able to do without technological assistance? Which decisions require human judgment? Where is human interaction itself part of the educational experience? From there, the operational priorities—privacy, safeguarding, cybersecurity, accessibility, academic integrity, procurement standards, teacher training, evidence of efficacy and AI literacy—become much easier to organize. This approach reflects where current guidance is heading. England's DfE now encourages leaders to audit AI use and incorporate it into their broader digital strategy, while UNESCO treats human-centered thinking, ethics, pedagogy, and professional learning as core teacher AI competencies. We know AI will continue to proliferate, so we must ensure we are preserving humanity in that process.

Our biggest piece of advice for education leaders planning for 2027? Get the foundations right.

Before investing in new technology, take a step back. Understand where you are today, identify the gaps, define where you need to be, and build a realistic roadmap to get there.

Cyber resilience, infrastructure, safeguarding, AI readiness, accessibility and governance cannot operate in silos. They must work together to support your wider strategy and improve outcomes for pupils and staff.

True digital transformation isn't about buying more technology. It starts with resilient infrastructure, secure networks, strong cybersecurity, effective safeguarding and systems that work seamlessly together.

With tight budgets, growing security and compliance demands, and changing expectations, the right technology partner can help you assess existing systems, identify risks and opportunities, and build a practical, unified strategy.

Ultimately, technology should enable better teaching, learning and experiences, with students and staff at the heart of every decision.

The number one priority for education leaders as they plan for 2027 should be rethink how students learn, rather than simply adopting new technologies.

AI is already changing how students access information, solve problems and complete assignments. With knowledge becoming increasingly accessible, the real challenge is to ensure students develop the ability to apply what they learn, think critically and solve real-world problems.

I believe this calls for a greater focus on experiential and applied learning. Technologies like AI, XR and simulations can play an important role here, allowing students to experiment, make mistakes and gain practical experience in ways that traditional classrooms may not always allow.

However, technology adoption should not be an end in itself. Institutions must focus on learning outcomes, faculty readiness and meaningful integration into curricula.

The priority should be to move beyond simply digitising education towards making learning more effective, practical and relevant to a world where AI is becoming an integral part of everyday life and work.

The number one priority for education leaders as they plan for 2027 should be putting people at the heart of educational technology.

Well-designed solutions should support children's development, empower them to take initiative, foster independence, and encourage a willingness to experiment.

Press PLAY. Not another screen. This is the idea behind technology that inspires people to take action, explore, and build meaningful connections. Introducing innovative technologies into education should not be seen as a challenge, but as an opportunity to build more collaborative, partnership-based relationships between teachers and students.

Because the future of EdTech isn't about more screens – it's about more meaningful experiences. Technology doesn't have to replace human interaction and shared experiences – it can create space for them and make them even richer.