OECD and European Commission launch AI literacy framework for schools

The OECD and the European Commission have published a shared AI literacy framework for schools, setting out what primary and secondary students should learn about artificial intelligence. Titled “Empowering Learners for the Age of AI,” the document was released on 17 June 2026 and presented the following day in Brussels at a European Digital Education Hub event that drew 150 policymakers, educators and stakeholders. It organises AI literacy into four domains and 19 competences, giving education systems a common reference as AI tools spread through classrooms.

The two bodies call the document the AILit Framework and frame it as a response to fast-rising AI use among young people. The European Commission notes that 68% of teenagers already use AI, often without guidance on how the systems work or where they fail. The AI literacy framework does not endorse specific products. It describes the knowledge, skills and attitudes that learners need to use AI tools and to question them.

What the AI literacy framework covers

The framework is built around four domains, presented in sequence to suggest a learning path: Engage with AI, Create with AI, Manage AI, and Shape AI. The project site sums up the four as covering “awareness, creative use, responsible decision making, and how AI systems are shaped by human values.” Each domain holds competences, 19 in total, and each competence combines knowledge, skills and attitudes. Learner expectations are set at basic, intermediate and advanced levels so the same competence can be taught across year groups.

The AI literacy framework defines AI literacy as “a set of knowledge, skills and attitudes” that helps learners “understand how AI systems work, critically evaluate their outputs and use them ethically and creatively.” That definition maps onto the four domains: students move from understanding and using AI to managing its risks and, finally, to thinking about how human choices shape the technology. The table below sets out the building blocks.

Source: AILit Framework, OECD and European Commission (2026); European Commission announcement.

How the AI literacy framework was built and who it is for

The AILit Framework is a joint initiative of the European Commission and the OECD, developed with support from CodeAI, formerly Code.org, and international experts. A draft was opened for consultation in May 2025 and drew feedback from more than 2,000 teachers, education leaders, policymakers, learning designers, researchers and others across over 100 countries. The final version adds practical sections: learner expectations, learning scenarios and classroom examples, including offline and low-tech activities so schools without devices for every student can still teach the material.

This AI literacy framework names five audiences: teachers, education leaders, policymakers, learning designers, and parents or caregivers. Victor Koleszar, who coordinates computational thinking and AI work at Uruguay’s CEIBAL programme and contributed to the framework, said “AI literacy should be part of every learner’s journey, with educators playing a key role in making AI meaningful.” Winssolutions has previously covered how a WEF AI readiness education framework approached similar questions, and the AILit document now gives European and OECD systems a single reference to align curricula against.

Background: from AI guidance to a shared framework

National and international bodies have issued AI guidance for schools in waves since generative AI tools reached classrooms. UNESCO published AI competency frameworks for students and teachers in 2024, and the European Union released ethical guidelines for educators on using AI and data. The OECD examined the classroom use of generative AI in its OECD 2026 generative AI education outlook, published in January 2026, which weighed where AI helps learning and where it can replace it.

Much of this earlier material offered principles rather than a structured set of learner outcomes, and guidance varied between countries, a gap Winssolutions has tracked in its AI in schools practical guide for 2025 and 2026. By agreeing one framework with four domains and 19 competences, the European Commission and the OECD have moved from broad advice toward a common definition of what students should be able to do with AI by the time they leave school.

Sources: OECD; European Commission; AILit Framework (OECD and European Commission)

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Figen Sekin

I specialize in sustainability education, curriculum co-creation, and early-stage project strategy. At WINSS, I craft articles on sustainability, transformative AI, and related topics. When I’m not writing, you’ll find me chasing the perfect sushi roll, exploring cities around the globe, or unwinding with my dog Puffy — the world’s most loyal sidekick.