Estonia is planning to launch an initiative that will provide students and teachers with free access to the world’s leading artificial intelligence applications and the necessary skills to use them effectively in learning.
The initiative, AI Leap 2025 (TI-Hüpe 2025 in Estonian), set to launch on 1 September 2025, builds on the legacy of Estonia’s Tiger Leap programme from nearly 30 years ago. That initiative introduced computers and the internet to Estonian schools, laying the groundwork for the country’s rise as a digital pioneer.
“Just as the Tiger Leap programme initiated the development of e-Estonia, for which we are still known internationally today, we are now starting a new chapter in the development of our education system and digital society,” the Estonian president and the initiator of the programme, Alar Karis, said in a statement.
“Artificial intelligence has permanently changed the world, and like all sectors, the education system must adapt to these changes.”
The world’s leading AI developers involved
The initiative aims to maintain Estonia’s educational excellence by providing students and teachers with free access to modern AI-based learning tools.
It will initially include 20,000 high school students in grades 10-11 and their 3,000 teachers from the beginning of next school year on 1 September 2025. The plan is to expand the programme to vocational schools and new incoming 10th grade students the year after, adding further 38,000 students and 2,000 teachers to the pool.
In cooperation with the Estonian education ministry, teacher training is planned to be conducted by autumn 2025, after which students will be given access to the world’s leading AI applications for learning. Negotiations have begun with global leading AI developers OpenAI and Anthropic, with plans to involve others as well.
To implement the programme, an AI Leap Foundation would be established in spring 2025, with the government and private sector as co-founders. The foundation would be tasked with the strategic management of artificial intelligence immersion into the education system. March 2025 will see the agreement on the foundation’s specific tasks, founding members and a funding model.
