By Mrs Hudson-Findley, Director of Digital Learning, Enterprise & Sustainability

AI investment may fluctuate, but its impact on teaching and learning is here to stay.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently warned that the global surge in artificial intelligence (AI) investment could mirror the dot-com bubble of the early 2000s. Tech giants are pouring billions into AI infrastructure, data centres and chips, creating a wave of speculation reminiscent of the internet boom -and, potentially, its bust. But while the financial world braces for a correction, the educational landscape tells a very different story.

If the dot-com crash taught us anything, it’s that bubbles can burst without killing innovation. The early 2000s saw investors lose fortunes, yet schools and universities emerged transformed by the internet’s connective power. Two decades later, AI is following a similar pattern: whatever happens on Wall Street, classrooms across the world are already changed for good.

In education, AI is not a speculative asset – it’s a practical tool. From personalised feedback and adaptive learning systems to ethical use frameworks like Bedford Girls’ School’s AI Traffic Lights model, schools are embedding AI into everyday teaching. Students are learning how to question AI outputs, interpret bias, and use generative tools responsibly. Teachers, meanwhile, are discovering how AI can save time, enhance creativity, and provide insights into student learning that were previously out of reach.

This shift marks a profound transition: from hype to habit. Whether AI investments rise or fall, the skills of prompt literacy, digital curiosity and critical thinking have already become essential learning outcomes. These are the dividends of the AI era that no market crash can erase.

If AI in business is a bubble, AI in education is a tide – one that is quietly, steadily reshaping how young people learn and how teachers teach. The money may ebb and flow, but the mindset shift is permanent. When the bubble bursts, education won’t be left empty-handed; it will be standing on firmer digital ground.