Ethics of Artificial Intelligence in Education: A Reference Framework was released at the 2026 World Digital Education Conference on 12 May 2026. According to the World Digital Education Alliance’s website, the document sets out a systematic ethical framework and codes of conduct for AI applications in basic, higher and vocational education.
It presents four principles: human agency, synergistic symbiosis, context-appropriate beneficence, and differentiated governance. People should retain decision-making authority while AI plays a supporting role. Human–AI collaboration should combine complementary strengths without encouraging overdependence. AI applications should suit specific learning environments and serve educational and social good. Governance should respond differently to different ethical risks.
The document identifies three categories of risk and proposes principles for assigning responsibility. It provides codes of conduct for educators, learners and institutions across basic, higher and vocational education. For risk prevention and control, it distinguishes situations in which AI tools should be prohibited, used with limitations or encouraged, and proposes a dynamic adjustment mechanism to support rational, considered human–AI interaction.
By clarifying approaches, boundaries and principles for integrating AI into education, the reference framework seeks to reconcile technological innovation with education’s mission and help the benefits of AI reach all learners equitably. This account is based on the Alliance’s news report of 13 May 2026; the formal document should be consulted for its specific provisions.
Original link: https://aiedchair.bnu.edu.cn/wdea-ai-education-ethics-framework-2026-en/