IIT Madras and UNESCO MGIEP partner on AI learning tools

IIT Madras and the UNESCO Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (MGIEP) have entered a partnership to develop AI-powered and immersive learning technologies. The collaboration aims to integrate Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) into mainstream education through digital tools that are interactive, personalized, and learner-centric.

UNESCO MGIEP will provide expertise in SEL and ensure alignment with UNESCO’s recommendations on AI ethics. IIT Madras will contribute technical capabilities in artificial intelligence, Extended Reality (XR), game design, and immersive technologies. The initiative focuses on creating open-source tools that can be adapted to diverse educational systems worldwide.

The resulting AI models are intended to be low-cost and efficient in low-bandwidth environments to help bridge the digital divide. These tools are expected to reduce teacher workload by assisting with the integration of SEL into lesson plans, activities, and assessments, while allowing educators to adapt content to local contexts.