Hannele Niemi calls for AI to become a partner in learning

Education researcher Hannele Niemi says schools need to redesign teaching, learning and assessment as artificial intelligence changes classrooms. She argues AI should support human thinking, not replace it, and warns the shift could widen inequality if access and training remain uneven.

Why it matters: - Artificial intelligence is changing how students learn, how teachers teach, and how schools assess progress. - Niemi argues education systems need to adapt now so AI strengthens human intelligence instead of replacing it. - Uneven access to devices, internet, digital tools, and trained educators could deepen existing education gaps.

What happened: - Hannele Niemi, an education researcher and professor, urged a new approach to teaching, learning, and assessment as AI reshapes education. - Niemi said AI should be treated as a co-learner and thinking partner, not an answer machine or shortcut around academic work. - In a recent presentation in China, titled "Transformative Pedagogy in the Era of AI," Niemi outlined ways educators can respond to AI-driven change.

The details: - Niemi said education should focus less on final outcomes and more on the learning process. - Niemi said students need stronger reasoning, reflection, and critical-thinking skills. - Niemi said education should prioritize two core capabilities: critical thinking and self-directed learning. - Niemi said students should use AI to explore different perspectives, question assumptions, develop hypotheses, and evaluate solutions. - Niemi said AI can also improve assessment by giving immediate feedback, identifying learning difficulties, and offering personalized step-by-step guidance. - The presentation framed AI as a tool that can help students take greater ownership of their education. - Niemi said the AI shift has implications for education systems worldwide. - She warned that access to technology, reliable internet, digital resources, and trained educators remains uneven. - Niemi said the AI revolution creates both an opportunity to expand access and a risk of widening inequality. - Niemi linked her message to the 2026 book Towards Industrial Revolution and Sustainable Growth in Africa: Learning Ecosystems of the Future, which she co-edited with other international education scholars. - The book examines learning ecosystems and how they can prepare people and communities for changing work and life conditions. - Niemi said countries looking to education for economic development must make sure AI benefits are accessible to all. - She said African education systems face infrastructure, resource, and access challenges that make equitable AI use especially important. - Niemi said technology alone cannot close the educational divide. - She said students and teachers need skills, support, and opportunities to use AI effectively.

Between the lines: - Niemi’s argument is not anti-AI; it is a call to redesign education around human judgment, not just digital efficiency. - The message also shifts attention from technology adoption to teacher support, equity, and learning design. - If schools adopt AI without changing instruction and assessment, they may automate old problems instead of solving them.

What's next: - Niemi says education leaders will need to build classroom practices that develop independent thinking and continuous learning. - Schools and systems will need to train teachers, strengthen infrastructure, and create more equitable access to AI tools. - Niemi is available for interviews. - More information on the book is available here. - More information about Niemi is available here. - Niemi was also featured in The Enterprise World as "The Most Accomplished Woman in Education to Watch – 2026" here.

The bottom line: - Niemi says the goal is not to adapt education to AI alone, but to make AI serve human potential.