Top ten EdTech stories of the week: AI skills, funding signals, and platform shifts
From AI literacy mandates and newsroom training to platform funding rounds and district-wide deployments, last week’s most-read stories reflected how quickly artificial intelligence is moving from policy conversation to operational reality across education and workforce pathways.
Last week highlighted a broader shift in how AI is being treated across education and skills systems. The emphasis moved away from experimentation and toward structure, accountability, and scale, with clearer expectations emerging around funding, governance, and day-to-day use. Across schools, higher education, workforce programs, and professional settings, AI literacy is increasingly being positioned as core infrastructure rather than optional capability, pointing to a more regulated and operational phase for EdTech overall.
10. Atlassian Williams F1 Team opens 2026 UK apprenticeships as deadline approaches
Starting the countdown at number ten, the Atlassian Williams F1 Team took to LinkedIn to remind school leavers that applications for its 2026 UK apprenticeship intake are closing soon. The program offers paid, three-year routes into race-critical engineering and operations roles at the team’s Grove headquarters, blending nationally recognized qualifications with hands-on work across manufacturing, composites, testing, and validation.
9. OpenAI introduces AI academy to support journalists and newsroom teams
At number nine, OpenAI moved AI skills directly into newsroom operations with the launch of the OpenAI Academy for News Organizations. Developed with the American Journalism Project and the Lenfest Institute for Journalism, the academy offers optional training, newsroom-specific use cases, and guidance on responsible AI use.
8. Former Deloitte Partner Matthew Robb takes on CEO role at Macat
Taking the eighth spot, leadership movement came into focus as former Deloitte Partner Matthew Robb confirmed he will step into the CEO role at education scale-up Macat from 2026. Robb pointed to Macat’s decade-long investment in critical thinking assessment and its PACIER methodology, which is now influencing OECD work on measuring critical thinking and creativity in higher education.
7. Amazon reiterates AI literacy focus following White House education meeting
At number seven, Amazon Web Services reiterated its AI literacy and workforce focus following meetings with U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. Shared through LinkedIn by senior AWS leaders, the update aligned Amazon’s training and upskilling initiatives with the White House’s broader AI education agenda, reinforcing how federal priorities are shaping private-sector education strategies.
6. Oboe rolls out major platform update alongside $16 million Series A
Sitting at number six this week, AI learning platform Oboe announced a major product update alongside a $16 million Series A funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz. Shared via LinkedIn by co-founder and CEO Nir Zicherman, the update reflects a shift away from open-ended AI outputs toward more structured, goal-oriented learning pathways. The redesigned platform organizes courses into chapters, supports multimodal formats such as text, podcasts, quizzes, and flashcards, and places a stronger emphasis on STEM use cases, signaling growing investor interest in AI systems that guide learning rather than simply generate content.
5. U.S. Labor Department opens $98 million fund for youth pre-apprenticeships with AI literacy requirement
At number five, federal workforce policy moved AI literacy from an add-on to a requirement. The U.S. Department of Labor opened a $98 million YouthBuild 2025 funding round for pre-apprenticeships, mandating that applicants embed AI literacy into their education models. The move places artificial intelligence alongside construction, manufacturing, IT, and healthcare training, signaling a shift in how workforce readiness is being defined for young people furthest from the labor market.
4. New York City schools roll out Speechify access under Department of Education partnership
Taking the fourth spot, AI entered classrooms at scale as New York City public schools rolled out access to Speechify Premium through a Department of Education partnership. Students across the district now have access to text-to-speech and voice-to-text tools on school devices, positioning AI firmly as assistive infrastructure rather than experimental technology within one of the largest school systems in the U.S.
3. California updates AI guidance for safe and effective use in public schools
At number three, policy caught up with classroom reality. The California Department of Education shared updated guidance on the safe and effective use of AI across TK–12 schools, tightening its focus on data privacy, academic integrity, transparency, and human oversight. While the guidance remains advisory, it reflects growing expectations around how districts evaluate, deploy, and govern AI tools already in use.
2. Amazon expands AI education program to reach nearly 500,000 U.S. students
Just missing the top spot at number two, Amazon expanded its AI education initiative to reach nearly 500,000 U.S. students after demand from school districts outpaced initial plans. The company increased its investment to $800,000 and broadened participation across seven regions, reinforcing how quickly AI education has moved from pilot projects to district-wide implementation.
1. ETIH Innovation Awards 2026 judges spotlight on Al Kingsley MBE
Taking the top spot this week, ETIH confirmed Al Kingsley MBE as a judge for the ETIH Innovation Awards 2026, spotlighting senior EdTech and education leadership expertise at the heart of this year’s awards. Kingsley brings more than three decades of experience across education, technology, and governance, alongside a strong focus on SEND, policy, and system-level change. His appointment reinforces the awards’ emphasis on evidence-led innovation, practical impact, and sector credibility as judging gets underway for 2026.
