UNESCO launches regional AI observatory to guide education policy in Latin America
UNESCO launched the Observatory on Artificial Intelligence in Education for Latin America and the Caribbean on April 14, a platform designed to help governments integrate AI into schools while prioritizing equity and quality. The launch took place at ECLAC headquarters in Santiago, Chile, during the 2026 Forum of the Countries of Latin America and the Caribbean on Sustainable Development.
The Observatory responds to two pressing regional problems. Six out of ten sixth-grade students in Latin America do not meet minimum proficiency levels in reading and mathematics, according to the Latin American Laboratory for the Assessment of the Quality of Education. Meanwhile, AI adoption in classrooms is outpacing institutional readiness: more than 50% of teachers in Chile and Brazil already use AI tools, yet fewer than 10% of institutions in the region have formal guidelines or training to do so responsibly.
The platform will generate evidence to guide public policy, strengthen teacher training, and validate classroom innovations within ethical frameworks. It brings together governments, academics, technology companies, civil society, and multilateral organizations including the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, Chile's National Centre for Artificial Intelligence, and the OECD.
The capacity gap
Teachers are adopting AI faster than institutions can support them. Without structured guidance on how to use these tools effectively, the risk is that technology widens rather than closes existing educational gaps.
Esther Kuisch Laroche, Director of the UNESCO Regional Office in Santiago, said: "The challenge is not artificial intelligence's emergence, but how we ensure that it translates into more and better opportunities for all. We must act urgently, but also with ethical responsibility and pedagogical purpose, so that artificial intelligence strengthens learning, supports teachers' work and helps to close, rather than widen, existing gaps."
The Observatory will support educators through training on how to use AI effectively in classrooms. This capacity building is essential as teachers navigate new tools without clear institutional policies.
Broader workforce implications
The expansion of AI in education has consequences beyond the classroom. Without strong foundational learning and critical thinking skills, students will struggle to adapt as the labor market shifts. This transition cannot rest on education systems alone-it requires coordinated action across government, industry, and civil society.
UNESCO is calling for additional stakeholders to join the Observatory. Organizations interested in collaborating can contact education.santiago@unesco.org.
Learn more about AI for Education and how the technology is being integrated into schools globally.
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