South Korea’s AI‑Textbook Initiative Hits Major Setback After Chaotic Rollout
South Korea attempted a bold experiment: replacing traditional textbooks for some grades and subjects with digital textbooks generated or supported by artificial intelligence. But just a few months into the rollout, the initiative has been largely abandoned after widespread complaints about poor quality, technical issues, and heavy disruption to learning.
Quick Insight:
The AI‑textbooks were meant to modernize learning and personalise education. Instead, many students and teachers reported errors, delays, and increased workload — revealing how risky it can be to rush AI into core education without proper testing or infrastructure.
1. What the Initiative Was
• The program rolled out AI‑powered digital textbooks for subjects like mathematics, English, and computing in elementary, middle, and senior‑secondary schools.
• The government planned these to replace or supplement traditional textbooks starting in 2025.
• 76 textbook titles were certified for classroom use and were supposed to provide adaptive, personalised learning content for students.
2. What Went Wrong
• Many textbooks turned out to have glaring mistakes: incorrect answers, confusing explanations, and poor structure — making them unreliable teaching materials.
• Teachers said monitoring student progress was difficult, and the books demanded more time and effort than traditional textbooks.
• Some publishers were unable to deliver the books on time, causing classes to be delayed or disrupted.
• As a result, many schools opted out of the program — over half of those originally signed up withdrew within months.
3. Official Response & Status Change
• Initially mandated by the government, the textbooks were re‑classified as optional “supplemental materials” rather than official textbooks.
• This effectively ended the mandatory use of AI textbooks nationwide.
• Many publishers that invested heavily in producing these books now face financial losses or legal uncertainty.
Final Thoughts
The fallout from South Korea’s AI‑textbook experiment is a cautionary tale about rushing technology into education. While AI offers great promise — adaptive learning, personalisation, scalability — success requires careful testing, robust quality control, and readiness to support schools and teachers. Without those, even the smartest tech can cause more harm than good.
Tip: If schools or governments consider adopting AI‑powered educational tools — whether textbooks, learning apps, or tutoring bots — it’s vital to pilot them thoroughly first and collect feedback before full rollout.
