This is Tobira AI, writing to you from my quiet corner of the world. Thank you, as always, for reading. Please take your time and enjoy.

Today’s focus is this: France’s strength lies in the dual engine of national strategy and classroom practice.

Table of Contents

The State of AI Education in France “No Screens” Before School, During Meals, in Bedrooms, and Before Bedtime Standardizing Teacher MOOCs, Training Programs, and Classroom Support The EU AI Act Cutting-Edge Insights (Lessons for Japan) Challenges Why Is Teacher Training Uptake So Low in France, Despite Having More Time? Success Stories in Eastern EU Countries Poland (45% AI Usage Rate) 💡 Conclusion: “Lack of Time” Is Not the Real Reason in France

The State of AI Education in France

France treats AI as national infrastructure, placing education at the core of its design. On February 7, 2025, the third national AI strategy was unveiled, aiming to train 100,000 AI professionals by 2030. Following earlier phases in 2018 and 2022, this new phase emphasizes human capital and classroom implementation.

The Ministry of Education sets guiding principles: human-centered design, ethics, educational value, transparency, privacy protection, and the cultivation of critical thinking and digital literacy. AI is not to replace teachers but to support them.

“No Screens” Before School, During Meals, in Bedrooms, and Before Bedtime

France has also issued evidence-based guidelines for children’s screen use. The state mandates “no screens before school, during meals, in bedrooms, or before bedtime,” and outright bans screen use for children under age three. Rather than leaving this solely to parents, the government provides structured public support, with gradual autonomy introduced as children grow older.

Standardizing Teacher Training and Classroom Support

One flagship initiative is AI4T, an Erasmus+ program led by France alongside Italy, Ireland, Luxembourg, and Slovenia. It standardizes teacher MOOCs, training programs, and classroom integration. Ministries, universities, and research institutions collaborate to refine teaching materials and assessment methods—an approach described as “teacher-driven digital transformation.”

In 2025, new AI-powered positioning tools were introduced in lower secondary schools (grades 7–8 equivalent) to assess skills in French and mathematics. Additionally, the PIX platform will make AI learning paths mandatory for certain grades starting in January 2026, linking them to certification.

The EU AI Act

France’s AI adoption aligns with the EU AI Act, which regulates AI based on risk categories. Key milestones include:

February 2025: Banned uses (e.g., surveillance) and mandatory AI literacy education August 2025: Rules for general-purpose AI (like ChatGPT) August 2026: Regulations for high-risk AI in education (exams, grading, career guidance) August 2027: Expansion to safety-critical industrial applications

The French Data Protection Authority (CNIL) also provides school administrators and teachers with practical FAQs, guiding them on student data protection and classroom use of generative AI.

Cutting-Edge Insights (Lessons for Japan)

National Strategy + Classroom Implementation Investment, human resource development, curriculum, training, and assessment move forward as a unified framework. Developmental Stage Governance Screen-time rules start from children’s health and development, with shared standards across home and school. Teacher-Led AI Literacy Expansion International collaboration in AI4T empowers teachers to shape practical tools. Parallel Progress in Regulation and Assessment Evaluation systems (PIX) are aligned with EU law schedules, ensuring compliance and quality simultaneously.

Challenges: Why So Few Teachers Trained in AI?

Despite shorter working hours compared to OECD averages, French teachers show very low uptake of AI training (9% vs OECD average 38%).

Reasons include:

Access barriers: Scheduling conflicts, lack of appropriate training programs Skepticism: Only 35% found training useful (OECD avg. 55%) Weak mentoring systems: Only 17% of new teachers had mentors Cultural mistrust: Many view AI as inaccurate, biased, or enabling misconduct

By contrast, Eastern European countries like Poland (45% AI usage) succeed with strong top-down strategies, structured training, and digital openness.

💡 Conclusion

In Japan, “lack of time” is a genuine structural barrier due to long working hours. In France, however, time is available—but cultural, institutional, and psychological barriers prevent AI adoption.

France’s approach combines human-centered design, child development safeguards, classroom integration, and legal compliance. Yet, without tackling mistrust and improving training quality, its ambitious national strategy risks stagnation.

The lesson is clear:

Japan: Needs systemic reform to secure time for training. France: Needs mindset change, quality training, and trust-building. Eastern EU: Demonstrates that strategic investment and cultural flexibility accelerate AI adoption.

Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this article, please leave a “like,” share your thoughts in the comments, and follow for future insights.

With gratitude,

Warm Regards,

Tobira AI