Image credit: Adobe Stock/Comeback Images.

As generative AI continues to reshape education, Adobe sees AI not as a replacement for thinking, but as a catalyst — for accelerating ideation, enhancing creativity, and fostering deeper engagement in learning. We’re energized by the White House’s Pledge to America’s Youth to invest in AI education as a critical step in putting essential AI and creative skills in the hands of the next generation of learners and we are proud to contribute to this critical area.

Adobe is providing the approximately 50+ million K-12 students and teachers across the United States with free access to Adobe Express for Education — Adobe’s all-in-one creativity app with generative AI tools designed for the classroom. Adobe is also providing professional development and training for all U.S. educators to help them better equip their students with AI skills.

The world of work is changing fast, and AI skills are no longer a nice-to-have; they’re a must-have. That’s why Adobe is committed to preparing learners of all ages for the AI-driven world we live in now.

Why AI skills matter more than ever

Early access to AI skills is essential to ensure students aren’t left behind in a rapidly evolving workforce. Embedding these skills now builds a more innovative future. The data is compelling: According to Lightcast, AI-skilled roles offer a 28 percent salary premium, with demand growing across industries — including 800 percent growth in generative AI roles in non-tech industries and a 200 percent increase in education-related roles since 2022.

At Adobe, we see firsthand how AI is already revolutionizing the creative process. Adobe Firefly is supercharging creativity and productivity with features such as Generative Fill and Generative Extend. Acrobat Studio is revolutionizing documents for the AI era, turning static files into conversational knowledge hubs, with a personalized AI Assistant for deeper insights. And Adobe Express is bringing AI-charged ideation and creation to everyone. AI can help consumers and business professionals work more efficiently and raise the bar of what they create.

Adobe is committed to empowering learners at every stage

For decades, Adobe has been dedicated to supporting creativity and digital literacy in education. Adobe’s commitments as part of the White House Pledge to America’s Youth are part of our broader mission to empower learners of all ages and in all stages of learning to ideate, create and collaborate with AI.

Through programs like Adobe Creative Campuses, we partner with universities to bring creative education and design thinking into higher-ed curricula. For specialists investing in their careers, the Adobe Certified Professionals program offers formal credentialing and certification in Adobe tools like Photoshop, Illustrator, Firefly and more. The Adobe Digital Academy is preparing learners with creative and technical skills and is focused on AI literacy, content creation, and digital marketing. The program aims to reach 30 million next-generation learners and educators by 2030.

Last year, Adobe invested $100 million to expand access through product donations, scholarships, and partnerships with schools, nonprofits, and platforms like Coursera. Learners gain hands-on experience with Adobe Express, Acrobat, and Creative Cloud, developing in-demand skills that help them stand out in an increasingly digital world.

I was honored to take part in the White House Task Force meeting on the AI Education Pledge, which underscored the urgency of equipping every learner with the knowledge and tools to thrive in this new era. And as part of the Pledge to America’s Youth, students and educators interested in participating in the Presidential AI Challenge will also be able to use Adobe’s AI tools, including Adobe Express, in their submission.

Demystifying AI in the classroom

The positive impact of bringing AI into the classrooms is already being felt as Adobe’s AI-powered creative tools make learning more engaging and collaborative. Using Adobe’s AI tools, which are designed with safety and user control at their core, teachers are seeing deeper learning and increased motivation. For example, teachers using Adobe Express to integrate generative AI into hands-on projects found that the curriculum boosted student creativity, prompted ethical discussions about the application of AI, and sparked teamwork and engagement beyond traditional assignments.

Building together

To fully realize the potential of AI in education, we’re committed to working alongside governments and education leaders to empower both teachers and students with AI skills and capabilities and help train an innovative, future-ready workforce that can thrive in the digital age.

Educators can learn more about using free Adobe tools and curriculum resources to unlock creative potential in your classroom.

We urge policymakers to invest in early AI skilling and equitable access for all students. Learn more about the commitments Adobe and others have made to the White House AI Education Pledge and join us in supporting a future where every learner is prepared for the opportunities ahead.

And we urge everyone to share stories of AI in the classroom. Let’s inspire each other and build a brighter future together.

The government has announced a number of new secondary school subjects and a new emphaisis on artificial intelligence it says will help prepare young people for the jobs of the future.

Education Minister Erica Stanford said those working on the changes will investigate having a new Year 13 subject on Generative AI “for later development”.

“With the rapid development of AI, students will also be able to learn about and use generative AI in a range of subjects. This may include learning about how digital systems work, machine learning, cybersecurity, and digital ethics.”

Stanford said the new subjects, being developed for the Years 11 to 13 curriculum, reflect the growing importance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, often referred to as STEM.

The subjects include: automative engineering, building and construction, and infrastructure engineering.

“Students will be able to specialise in areas such as earth and space science, statistics and data science, and electronics and mechatronics. There will also be a range of new specialist maths subjects including further maths.

“When our young people leave school, we want doors to open for them whether they’re going to tertiary study, learning a trade, or heading straight into work. These refreshed subjects will provide students with choice, purposeful pathways and opportunities for specialisation that set them up for success,” Stanford said in a statement.

It was vital students had access to “innovative and dynamic subjects” that would help the country’s future, she said.

Other new subjects include: civics, politics and philosophy, Pacific studies, Te Mātai i te Ao Māori and music technology.

Te Marautanga o Aotearoa will be resourced with a first ever detailed curriculum in te reo Māori as well as new subjects including new Tātai Arorangi (Māori traditional systems of Earth and Sky), Te Ao Whakairo (Māori carving) and Te Ao Māori subjects.

The subjects are planned to be phased in from 2028.

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