Enrique Garcilazo
Deputy Head of Division, CFE OECD
Artificial intelligence (AI) offers a new path to equitable education and skills development for rural youth.
The OECD’s latest Regional Outlook: The Longstanding Geography of Inequalities shows that while OECD countries have converged in GDP per capita standards over the past 20 years, internal divides have deepened.
Uneven progress within countries
Some regions are pulling ahead, creating growing divides in income productivity and wellbeing, while others are falling behind. These disparities are especially stark between urban and rural places, as highlighted in the OECD’s flagship report Reinforcing Rural Resilience.
AI can offer new ways to close learning and aspiration gaps by improving access and reducing costs
Gaps in learning and aspiration
Education reflects these divides. The OECD’s PISA results show that rural students lag behind their urban peers by around 45 points on average, equivalent to more than a full year of schooling before adjusting for socioeconomic background.
After adjustment, the gap narrows to about 21 points, or half a year of schooling. Differences are also striking in aspirations: rural students are only half as likely to expect to complete a university degree as those in cities, even after accounting for socioeconomic factors.
How AI can help
AI can offer new ways to close learning and aspiration gaps by improving access and reducing costs. Some promising applications include:
- Personalised learning: AI can tailor instruction to each student, helping overcome teacher shortages in rural schools.
- Virtual teaching support: AI-powered platforms can supplement educators and provide consistent guidance where qualified teachers are scarce.
- Predictive analytics: Early-warning systems, like UNESCO pilot projects, can identify students at risk of dropping out and enable timely interventions.
- Skills for rural youth: AI tools can enhance vocational training and help students develop practical, market-relevant skills.
AI’s real promise lies in supporting, not replacing, teachers. By supporting educators and extending their reach, AI can help make quality education accessible to every student, regardless of where they live.
