A New Era - Leading Change in the Age of AI
It was interesting to read Estyn’s AI report “A New Era: How Artificial Intelligence (AI) is Supporting Teaching and Learning.”
The report highlights how AI is already beginning to shape school life across Wales, offering an honest insight into both the opportunities and the challenges of the digital age ahead.
Three points stood out to me while reading:
1️ A New Era
Estyn’s thematic report “A New Era: How Artificial Intelligence (AI) is Supporting Teaching and Learning” is a welcome and necessary step for education in Wales. It’s an important piece of work, but also a reminder of how quickly the landscape is shifting. If education is to innovate, we must act proactively, not reactively.
The title “A New Era” immediately reminded me of the title of the World Economic Forum’sWhite Paper, “Physical AI: Powering the New Age of Industrial Operations” (2025). This paper describes the shift from traditional, rule-based robotics to intelligent, adaptive automation, where AI enables systems to learn, reason and respond in real time. In industry, this is already transforming productivity and redefining the relationship between people and machines.
Education is at a similar inflection point. To use AI responsibly, we need coordinated national action, as Estyn’s report makes clear through its recommendations for:
• national leadership and strategy (A1)
• structured, high-quality professional learning (A2)
• curriculum reform to embed digital and AI literacy (A3).
These steps are vital if AI is to enhance teaching, learning and leadership across Wales.
2️ Supporting change – and those leading it
Change in schools can be as emotional as it is technical.
At the Bwrlwm Arfor Bangor-AI conference earlier this year, I used the Kubler-Ross change model to explore how we can support colleagues as they navigate uncertainty and innovation in the field of AI.
Across the system, we need more opportunities for collaboration and shared learning, where staff can experiment, reflect, and shape the journey together.
Establishing action learning groups and professional networks can help ensure that those most affected by change are also those leading it.
3️ Sustainability – the missing focus
One area that needs greater attention in Oes Newydd is the environmental impact of AI.
If we are preparing ethical, informed and responsible learners, we must also ensure they understand the environmental footprint of technology.
AI models and infrastructure consume vast amounts of computing power, energy and hardware resources.
As AI becomes embedded in schools, we need to ask:
• What is the environmental cost of our digital choices?
• How can we innovate responsibly within climate goals?
• How can we model sustainable technology use for our pupils?
Ethical AI must also be sustainable AI, balancing innovation with responsibility to the planet.
📄 Read Estyn’s full report: https://estyn.gov.wales/improvement-resources/new-era-how-artificial-intelligence-ai-is-supporting-teaching-and-learning/
📄 Read the full World Economic Forum White Paper, “Physical AI: Powering the New Age of Industrial Operations”:
https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Physical_AI_Powering_the_New_Age_of_Industrial_Operations_2025.pdf
Created with a little help from ChatGPT to organise my thoughts before sharing.