Implementation in the Age of AI
Author(s): Rebekah Hornak
Publication Date: February 2026
Frameworks: Teams, Usable Innovations
Resource Type: Read
Just for fun, I asked ChatGPT how many Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools exist that support education. I recognize that this may not be the best prompt, but just humor me. The results indicated that it was difficult to narrow down an exact number because tools are emerging daily. Let that sink in for a moment. A rough estimate from ChatGPT indicated tens of thousands of platforms across various industries, with about 50 that could be curated as “popular tools.” Rapid growth occurred between 2022 and 2023, driven by the introduction of generative AI (National Education Association, 2024). With all of that noise, educators face increasing pressure to adopt AI platforms quickly, risking a repeat of a familiar pattern: innovation without implementation. It would be better if educational agencies reframed the focus from AI as an innovation to asking themselves, “How do we use AI to strengthen systems and efficiencies, rather than creating more initiatives and fragmentation?”