Artificial Intelligence Tools: Schools

Debate between Lord Bishop of Hereford and Baroness Smith of Malvern

Monday 26th October 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)]

I wish the noble Lord a very happy birthday. Of course, he is right. That is why we need different elements of protection and, as he rightly said, promotion. The certification would enable schools more quickly and easily to see the edtech products that met the standards. In January, we strengthened our product safety standards both to reflect emerging risks and developments in AI technologies and to ensure that AI supports genuine learning and does not undermine children’s ability to think, learn and develop independently. The certification scheme enables the development by legitimate edtech companies of the type of technology which will help to support children’s learning.

[The Lord Bishop of Hereford]

My Lords, a number of noble Lords have already asked questions about the regulation of AI in schools. Would it be Ofsted that inspected schools and how they govern their use of artificial intelligence, including the safeguards they have in place to protect pupils and manage the use of personal data? If so, what steps are the Government taking to ensure that Ofsted inspectors have the expertise and guidance necessary to make such assessments effectively?

[Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)]

Of course, Ofsted will have an important role to play in ensuring the safeguarding responsibility of schools with respect to AI as well as its appropriate use in the classroom. There is also a role for the Information Commissioner’s Office in the protection of data. As I have already identified, it would not be appropriate for Ofsted, for example, to be the organisation that holds the certification process. That is another area where there will be support for ensuring that what happens is right, safe and effective, and a way of ensuring that schools are following the certification and the guidance that already exist.

Young People and Work

Debate between Lord Bishop of Hereford and Baroness Smith of Malvern

Thursday 4th June 2026 Lords Chamber

[The Lord Bishop of Hereford]

My Lords, I want to ask the Minister about the issue of AI in this context. I speak with some personal experience, in that my son’s partner has recently been made redundant as the result of an AI system that she herself developed. It is inevitable that AI systems will grow, unchecked and unregulated, and will continue to reduce entry-level jobs across a range of sectors. What projections have the Government made of this, and what action do they plan to take to ensure that a healthy entry-level job market will remain for young people?

[Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)]

The right reverend Prelate is right. As Alan Milburn identifies, structural change in the labour market, particularly with respect to entry-level jobs, is an important issue. There are both opportunities and threats that come from the development of AI. Just this morning, I was talking to higher education vice-chancellors about the work they are doing to prepare their graduates to operate in a world where being able to use AI—notwithstanding the right reverend Prelate’s example—will make it more likely that they are equipped for a rapidly changing labour market resulting from AI and other things. We are working across government to identify the impact of AI on the future workforce. What is more, through our education system we are working to equip young people to be able to respond to those challenges, wherever they come from.