Opinion20th July 2026

AI tutors won’t fix inequality in education – but AI just might

Rose Dixon

The real promise of AI lies not in substituting teachers, but in supporting them – and their pupils.

Digital

This article was originally published in Schools Week on 16 July 2026.

Within months of the government setting out plans to pilot AI tutors for pupils on free school meals, it also moved to restrict AI chatbots for children as part of the social media ban for under–16s.

These developments have prompted strong reactions, with some seeing a contradiction. Why limit AI and technology in one context while expanding it in another?  

In all the noise, it’s easy to miss the key point. These developments are not in conflict.

They highlight a more important truth. Using AI in education is not inherently good or bad. What matters is how it is designed, deployed and integrated into the wider system around it. 

The government’s decision to explore AI tutoring reflects a recognition that AI could play a meaningful role in education. That instinct is right.

The challenge is to ensure this potential is realised safely, on a secure evidence base, and rooted in what we know about how children learn. 

We need to avoid the risk that pupils offload productive struggle to AI, or that they are confused and overwhelmed by different tools telling them different things. And we need to make it easy for schools to adopt promising new technologies.  

What children need

Positioning AI tutors as a solution for pupils on free school meals risks clouding the issue. 

The truth is simple – disadvantaged children do not need different educational tools.

They need the same things all children need: a rigorous curriculum, excellent teaching, high-quality materials and strong relationships with adults who know and support them.

Delivered consistently, these things are the foundations of effective schooling.   

We can’t assume that rolling out AI tutors directly to disadvantaged pupils will improve their outcomes. Instead, we should be asking a broader question – how can AI help to ensure that every child receives an excellent education? 

Supporting teachers

The real promise of AI lies not in substituting teachers, but in supporting them. Teachers are working under intense pressure, constrained by time and resources. AI can help to alleviate these pressures in practical ways.  

Take marking and assessment, one of the most time-consuming aspects of teaching.

Ark is running pilots with new AI tools that can help teachers provide more frequent, detailed feedback to pupils, while significantly reducing workload.

That matters for teacher wellbeing and for pupils. More timely and detailed feedback is one of the most effective drivers of progress and outcomes.  

When pupils interact with AI-powered tools, their conversations generate rich data about their understanding – where they struggle, the misconceptions they hold, the patterns in their mistakes.

Used well, this gives teachers powerful insight into their pupils, helping them adjust teaching and respond to the needs of their pupils in real time.   

The most powerful function of an AI tutor may not be the interaction it has with a child, but the insight it provides to the adult in the room.

The need for a joined-up approach 

Nationally, many promising government initiatives are underway to drive AI in education.

The Department for Education is also setting up “test beds” for innovation in schools, building shared curriculum content and working on data infrastructure. Each is important, but from a school perspective, they can feel fragmented and hard to navigate.   

This lack of coherence matters. Schools are busy and face competing demands.

They do not have capacity to evaluate multiple technologies or coordinate with numerous providers. Without a joined-up approach, even the best ideas struggle to gain traction.  

We need a system that does the hard work on behalf of schools.

This involves bringing together AI tools with what we already know about how children learn, connecting providers with leading industry partners to deliver pilots, all with robust safeguarding and clear accountability.

Ark is running pilots and we are keen to work with the government, tech partners and other schools to help shape this work.

We need to think through how tutoring tools integrate with existing practice and create new insight for schools. 

And we need to bring pupils and their families into the development process to ensure that tools are trusted as well as effective.

Turning potential into impact 

Done well, AI could help the system deliver more consistently excellent teaching, reduce pressure on staff and improve outcomes for pupils.  

But realising that opportunity will require a clear focus on the fundamentals of great education, and a commitment to building technology around them.

The government pilots are an important step. The next phase is to ensure they are part of a coherent, ambitious strategy that supports the whole system.  

Because if we get this right, AI will not be about offering something different to some pupils.

It will be about strengthening what works, so every child – regardless of background – has access to a high-quality education.