The key facts

  • The 'AI literacy' certificate is planned to be introduced for 15-year-old schoolchildren from the 2027–2028 school year.
  • The initiative was announced against the backdrop of PISA 2025 data: roughly one in three 15-year-old students in the EU falls short in reading and mathematics.
  • The EU does not manage the education policy of member states, but it funds research on the safe use of AI in education.

A new certificate for 15-year-old students

The European Union is preparing to launch an 'AI literacy' certificate for schoolchildren, aimed at 15-year-old students and the 2027–2028 school year. This was reported by Euronews citing statements from the European Commission. European Commission Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu explained the idea as follows: the certificate will 'help young learners understand how AI works, check what it tells them, notice manipulation, and know when to switch off.'

Context: a decline in basic skills

The initiative was announced against the backdrop of alarming educational statistics. According to PISA 2025 data, cited by the European Commission, about one in three 15-year-old students in the EU falls short in literacy (reading) and mathematics; the European Commission's publication also mentions a decline in basic skills and a shortage of teachers. At the same time, Brussels intends to use AI itself as a tool to help teachers and students: according to Mînzatu, the technology 'has the potential to genuinely enhance certain educational processes: tutoring, personalized learning.'

Limitations of the initiative and parallel regulation of social media

The EU's powers in education are limited: the union does not manage the education policy of member states, but it already funds research on the safe use of AI in children's education. At the same time, Brussels is pushing legislation to restrict teenagers' access to social media. Mînzatu rejected any contradiction between the two initiatives, emphasizing that the use of AI in education 'has nothing to do with the addictive algorithms of platforms.' The practical format of the future certificate — its voluntary nature, the content of the program, and the procedure for recognition in individual countries — is not disclosed in the published materials.