Brazilian educational publisher FTD will more than triple its annual technology investment from R$30 million to R$100 million starting in 2027, a move its new chief executive says is essential to prevent technology companies from dictating the narratives students encounter in classrooms. The publisher, which accounts for 25% of textbooks distributed through Brazil's public education system and serves 7,000 private schools, is betting that proprietary artificial intelligence can safeguard editorial standards against what it sees as a growing risk of distorted educational content.
"When AI generates text, we don't know what values and interests are behind that content," said Sandro Bonás, who took over as FTD's CEO in June. "The entire world is built on history, which we tell according to editorial standards. Now these new synthetic stories are being told according to the interests not of education companies, but of technology groups. OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic are defining the narrative."
The push for proprietary educational AI
Bonás argued that publishers must transform into educational technology companies with their own AI systems. He described an approach rooted in Socratic methodology - one that encourages questioning and critical thinking rather than simply delivering answers. Current AI tools, he said, provide ready-made responses that short-circuit the mental processes essential to learning. An estimated 84% of students already use AI tools to complete school assignments.
Education specialists have raised alarms about the cognitive development of today's students, who already faced learning gaps during the Covid-19 pandemic. Two consecutive periods of educational setbacks could leave lasting consequences for an entire generation, they warn. The sharp increase in investment, Bonás said, reflects both urgency and concern over "preventing technology groups from entering a field that we need to preserve, with its values and ethical standards."
FTD prints 150 million copies annually and posted revenue of R$1.5 billion in 2025, with a target to double that figure by 2030. The Marista Group, FTD's parent organization, also owns the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná (PUC-PR), 65 private schools under the Marista and Champagnat brands, 34 tuition-free schools, and two hospitals in Curitiba. The group's total revenue reached R$3.3 billion in 2025.
AI literacy from age six
The company's first step will be AI for Education literacy programs targeting teachers, students, and families. Bonás advocates making AI literacy a mandatory subject starting in the first year of elementary school, when children are six years old. "Children need to understand that when they're on TikTok, Netflix, or YouTube, they're receiving recommendations generated by AI algorithms," he said. "Today, more than 80% of what people watch on YouTube is not something they actively chose. In other words, people have lost the autonomy to decide what they want to watch. That's crazy."
UNESCO is among the organizations promoting digital literacy that goes beyond technical knowledge to include critical thinking about technology. FTD also plans to use AI to personalize learning according to individual student needs, such as targeted support in subjects where they struggle or preparation for specific university entrance exams.
Technology sovereignty concerns
Bonás expressed concern about Brazil's dependence on technologies developed abroad, noting that the AI market is concentrated among companies from the United States and China. He pointed to growing global debate over technological sovereignty, risks of potential access disruptions, and exposure of confidential data. "In Europe, they introduced regulation to reduce this type of dependence and encourage the development of European companies," he said. He added that excessive regulation could hinder innovation, while an overly permissive environment - such as in the United States - could create risks by allowing still-immature technologies to advance unchecked.
Last week, Elon Musk wrote on X that "before the end of this year, Grok Imagine will produce a historically accurate feature-length adaptation of The Odyssey faithful to Homer's work." The post followed the release of a film that drew criticism for taking creative liberties, underscoring Bonás's point about who controls historical narratives. Contacted by Valor, Google declined to comment. OpenAI, X, and Anthropic did not respond to requests for comment.
Why this matters for education professionals
FTD's investment signals that major publishers see AI not as a tool to adopt from Silicon Valley but as territory they need to claim and govern themselves. For teachers and school administrators, the shift means AI literacy will likely become a required competency - not an optional add-on - starting in early grades. The debate over who controls educational content is moving from conference panels to budget lines, and the outcome will shape curriculum decisions, AI Learning Path for Teachers requirements, and the tools available in classrooms across Brazil and beyond.
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