South Korea Ends AI-Powered Digital Textbook Initiative

South Korea invested 1.2 trillion won ($850 million) to create AI-powered textbooks for schools, but the national initiative was scaled back after only four months. Critics cited factual inaccuracies, privacy issues, and increased strain on teachers and students.

In Rest Of World, journalist Junhyup Kwon shares a student’s perspective: “Technical issues with the textbooks caused all our classes to fall behind schedule. […] I struggled to concentrate and keep up. The lessons weren’t adapted to my learning level.”

Kim Jong-hee, chief digital officer at textbook developer Dong-A Publishing, highlighted the benefits of AI textbooks: “Students are more engaged, alert, and willing to take part when they use familiar digital tools. The system also offers tailored help for those having difficulty with the material.”

The government initially hired publishers to design the AI textbooks, who then invested roughly $567 million in developing the digital editions. Although their use became compulsory at the start of the school year in March, the program was made optional after just one semester. Since then, the number of schools using the AI textbooks has dropped by half.

During a National Assembly session in January, lawmaker Kang Kyung-sook questioned the education minister: “Traditional printed textbooks take 18 months to develop, nine for review, and six for preparation. But the AI versions were rushed through in only 12, three, and three months, respectively. […] Why the hurry? When it comes to children’s education, careful review and thorough procedures are essential.”

The program’s collapse has also been attributed to political factors and a change in government during its rollout.

Since the internet became widespread, school technology programs have typically cost far less and lasted longer—even if they eventually failed or were overhauled. For example, South Africa’s Gauteng Province launched the Online Schools Project in the early 2000s to set up computer labs and internet in schools. It was discontinued in 2013 at an estimated cost of R1 billion rand (about $57 million).

In Malaysia, the 1BestariNet virtual learning platform was shut down in 2019 after eight years, following reports that internet speeds fell short of what was promised. That initiative reportedly cost billions of ringgit (1 billion ringgit equals around $235 million).

Still, the speed and high cost of South Korea’s AI textbook failure underscore the challenges of rolling out digital AI learning materials. A recent MIT study indicated that long-term use of AI in education may reduce brain activity, raising questions about its suitability for developing young minds.

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