AI Design Principles
Providing Guidance
A recent publication in the TES magazine provides a response to the rapidly evolving integration of AI within educational settings. The IBO has released a set of draft design principles aimed at guiding schools through the complexities of AI adoption. Acknowledging the significant pressure faced by school leaders in navigating this technological landscape, the proposed framework seeks to establish a clear foundation that balances innovation with ethical responsibility.
“Design” Photo by Balázs Kétyi on Unsplash
The article, originally published by TES on March 24, 2026 (written by Emma Seith), outlines the five core principles, ranging from safeguarding human development to ensuring transparent accountability, while detailing the organization’s plans for consultation and refinement within the global IB community.
Here are the principles as they currently stand:
1. Caring and balanced: AI for human flourishing
AI must protect and nurture learners’ emotional, social and cognitive development. AI in the IB ecosystem must work equitably across the global community and support the human relationships central to an IB education.
2. Inquiry-driven: AI that deepens learning
AI should strengthen inquiry, critical thinking, creativity and collaborative problem solving - enabling learners to become active explorers of their own education through the thinking, effort and growth that define an IB education.
“Balance” Photo by Christophe Hautier on Unsplash
3. Educator agency: guided by capability, grounded in responsibility
Educators shape how AI is used in learning. This requires professional knowledge, openness to new approaches, school-level governance and clear accountability for outcomes.
4. Safe and transparent: AI that is accountable
Every learner’s data rights and privacy are non-negotiable. AI must meet strong safeguarding standards, and schools must be able to understand what AI tools do, how they work and where they fall short. High-stakes decisions require human oversight.
5. Continuously adapting: evidence-led, always improving
AI must demonstrate pedagogical value through evidence, reflection and honest evaluation. Both inaction and recklessness fail learners - responsible adoption means committing to learn and improve as we go. This is mindful innovation.
“Safe” Photo by Pop & Zebra on Unsplash
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Further discussions took place in IBO conferences in Mumbai (in March 2026) and in Johannesburg (in April, 2026)