Landmark Project Brings Artificial Intelligence into Icelandic Classrooms

Artificial intelligence from two leading global companies will be used in a development project that will explore its use and usefulness in Icelandic schools under the guidance of Icelandic teachers.

According to a press release from Stjórnarráð Íslands, the project is now underway and aims to support teachers, consultants and school administrators in the use of artificial intelligence in teaching.

In parallel, work is underway on criteria for the use of artificial intelligence in school work, which will, among other things, be based on the results of the development project.

The Ministry of Education and Children has signed a collaboration agreement with two leading companies in the field of artificial intelligence: Anthropic and Google. The development project is being carried out by the Directorate of Education and School Services in collaboration with the Icelandic Teachers’ Union.

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The Centre has offered six hundred teachers across the country access to two of the latest artificial intelligence tools, Claude for education from Anthropic and Gemini within Google Classroom. The access will be used for preparation for teaching and will be accompanied by learning materials, educational materials and a special support network.

Icelandic teachers will draw on their own experience and knowledge in the project, as well as receive unique access to education on the use of artificial intelligence tools and direct support from foreign companies to facilitate their adoption of these unique tools. 

The tools can be used in various ways in the preparation of teaching, for example to assist in integrating learning materials with the National Curriculum, to assist in the creation of lesson plans and to make it easier for teachers to work with learning materials so that they meet the different needs of students.

Emphasis will be placed on developing solutions that support individualized student learning as well as Icelandic language and culture, and that data will be stored and handled in full compliance with data protection laws.

“Artificial intelligence […] is developing at a breakneck pace and it is important to harness its power while at the same time preventing harm. It will affect education just like other disciplines. Here we are taking the leap and embarking on an ambitious project intended to examine the use of artificial intelligence in various areas of education with the needs of teachers as our guiding principle,” says Guðmundur Ingi Kristinsson, Minister of Education and Children.

If the project achieves its intended results, the goal is for more schools to gain access to the systems on a broader basis and in collaboration with municipalities and the Directorate of Education and School Services. 

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