Artificial intelligence is becoming a much bigger part of conversations happening across schools in Dubai, and now a new AI literacy programme is set to roll out across private schools in the city.
The initiative was announced by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), alongside DP World Foundation and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Responsible AI for Social Empowerment and Education (MIT RAISE) initiative.
The programme is designed to help students better understand artificial intelligence while focusing heavily on responsible AI use, digital literacy, and the evaluation of AI-generated content more critically.
The programme is expected to reach around 80,500 students and 3,600 teachers across Dubai by 2030, initially focusing on students in Grades 6-8.
Rather than simply teaching students how to use AI tools, the programme is expected to focus heavily on responsible use, digital literacy and helping students evaluate AI-generated content more critically.
As AI tools become more common both inside and outside classrooms, many schools across Dubai are also placing greater emphasis on digital safety, academic honesty and responsible technology use.
For many educators, the conversation around artificial intelligence is no longer really about whether students are using these tools. It is increasingly about helping students understand how to use them responsibly while still building independent thinking, writing and research skills.
According to the announcement, the programme will eventually include cross-curricular learning opportunities connected to subjects including English, Arabic, science and the arts. Teachers involved in the programme will also receive training and classroom support connected to AI literacy and integration.
For younger students in particular, supervised, age-appropriate use remains a major focus as schools navigate how artificial intelligence fits into learning environments across different grade levels.
The rollout also reflects a wider shift happening across schools in Dubai as digital literacy and responsible technology use become increasingly important parts of student learning.
