A plan by South Korea to introduce AI-powered digital textbooks sparked a major backlash from parents and educators. 

Set to begin in 2025, South Korea's plan is to introduce tablet-based textbooks for subjects such as maths, English, informatics and Korean. The programme would expand in 2028 to include subjects like Korean, social studies, history, science, and technology/home economics. 

According to Seoul, the AI textbooks will be designed to adapt to different learning speeds, with teachers monitoring student progress through dashboards. They are seen to bring benefits such as offering customised learning content tailored to individual student data and enhancing their personalised learning experience.

However, parents and critics expressed concerns about the potential negative impacts on children's development and the over-reliance on digital devices. Over 56,000 parents signed a petition on the National Assembly’s online platform opposing over-exposure to digital devices, expressing worries about the effects of increased screen time on their children's brain development and overall well-being, and requesting the system is shelved. 

Many argued that the focus should be on traditional learning methods rather than integrating new technologies.

Critics also raised alarms about privacy issues and the risks associated with excessive use of digital devices. The teachers' labour union also called for a delay in implementation until a broader consensus on the risks and benefits can be reached.

South Korea education minister Lee Ju-ho defended the initiative, emphasising that the transition to digital textbooks is part of a broader effort to modernise education.