Rethinking AI Literacy: Lessons from the AI Samarth Conclave
By CeRAI research lead Dr. Neethi S
Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to attend the AI Samarth Conclave in Delhi — a gathering that marked more than just the launch of a curriculum. It provided insight into what it truly means to bring AI into our classrooms — ethically, equitably, and meaningfully. At the heart of the event was the release of the AI Samarth Literacy Framework, a joint effort by the Wadhwani School of Data Science and AI at IIT Madras and the Central Square Foundation. The aim? To reach over 5 million students in government and affordable private schools, from Grades 6 to 10. But what I learned was that this wasn’t just about scale — it was about we introduce AI to young learners.
Shri Abhishek Singh, CEO of the IndiaAI Mission and Additional Secretary at MeitY, set the tone by emphasizing that AI is no longer a distant idea — it's an urgent opportunity. He spoke about AI tutors as a possible solution to the chronic shortage of science and math teachers in rural schools. These tools could ease the load on educators, provide students with consistent feedback, and offer additional support to children with disabilities.
During the fireside chat between Prof. B. Ravindran, Head of the Wadhwani School of Data Science and AI, and Ms. Gouri Gupta, Project Director at CSF, the conversation moved beyond just hopeful visions to tackle some of the tough questions — like cost, scalability, and ethical concerns.
Prof. Ravindran shared data on scalability: With just ₹120 per student per year — including communication costs — we could offer weekly access to AI learning tools. With an upfront investment of ₹13–14 crore, it’s technically possible to build a model with 14 billion parameters and offer students an hour of meaningful interaction for about ₹25–30 each.
He also warned about the dangers of students using AI tools they don’t fully understand. He emphasized the need for awareness, especially regarding the AI students encounter in apps, platforms, and services. His reference to XGBoost — used in 80% of global prediction models but largely unknown to most — illustrated how AI is often invisible, yet deeply present.
Then, he came with a provocative statement: “Education, as we know it, is over.” It was a call to rethink both what we teach and how we teach. He cited Ivy League institutions where students are now evaluated not on content, but on how skillfully they use tools like ChatGPT. He compared today’s AI moment to the arrival of calculators: basic arithmetic is still taught, but with limits. He suggested that AI literacy must be 100% and proposed a three-tiered approach: (1) AI Awareness – The new digital literacy, (2) AI Skilling – Job-ready fluency, not coding (What tools are relevant in my domain, without needing to understand the AI techniques behind them), and (3) AI Mastery – For developers and researchers.
Prof. Ravindran then shared details of rural women working as data workers, at Karya, for AI systems, earning between $200–250, and contributing to the global AI economy.
The final thread tied it all together: AI can take over many low-level, repetitive tasks, but higher-level reasoning, mentorship, and ethical judgment may still require the human touch. In fact, Prof. Ravindran noted that nearly 80% of jobs today still rely on such human guidance.
The highlight of the day was the presentation of the AI Samarth Framework by Prof. Karthik Raman (Professor, Wadhwani School of Data Science and AI) and Mr. Bhanu Potta (Principal Consultant, AI Samarth, Central Square Foundation & Founding Partner, Zingerlabs). Together, they laid out a vision that was ambitious, yet deeply grounded in India’s realities — linguistic, infrastructural, and pedagogical.
Prof. Karthik walked us through the four foundational pillars of the curriculum:
Understanding AI – demystifying what AI is and what it is not.
Essential Concepts of AI – core ideas that govern how AI systems work.
Social Impact and Ethics – because how we use AI matters as much as what it can do.
Practical Application – helping students see AI in their daily lives, from mobile apps to voice assistants.
But what stood out most was his emphasis on not just teaching what AI can do — but also what it gets wrong. In an age of hype, this is a quiet but radical idea: building literacy through both wonder and scepticism.
The framework rightly focuses on Grades 6 to 10 — a formative window when curiosity is high, and habits of mind are still being shaped. This isn’t about training future engineers. It’s about equipping future citizens with the ability to question, explore, and engage.
The final panel — moderated by Ms. Shaveta Sharma-Kukreja (CEO and MD, CSF) — expanded the horizon further, asking not just what AI can do, but what education must become. With voices from policy (Dr. I. V. Subba Rao, NITI Aayog), public institutions (Dr. Amarendra Behera, NCERT), global organisations (Mr. Jian Xi Teng, UNESCO), and industry (Mr. Suhel Bidani, Gates Foundation), the conversation reminded us that AI is not just a tool — it’s a terrain we are learning to walk together.
Dr. Subba Rao pointed out that three-fourths of Indian children lack foundational literacy. AI could help bridge this gap — through adaptive learning systems and teacher support. But, as Mr. Suhel Bidani emphasized, AI shouldn’t be a standalone course — much like we don’t teach MS Office separately anymore. Instead, it should be integrated into every subject and classroom in a contextual and meaningful way.
Dr. Behera shared a clear and practical vision: using AI bots for storytelling, involving families, and guiding teachers — all in multiple Indian languages through platforms like DIKSHA and Bhashini, with a daily usage limit (like 30 minutes). The message was clear: AI should support teaching, not take its place.
Mr. Jian Xi Teng from UNESCO provided some insightful thoughts from a global perspective. He emphasized the importance of AI ethics and preparedness, mentioning how UNESCO is working closely with the Indian Government on national readiness on ethics in terms of adopting AI. He also highlighted the 2023 UNESCO Report on EduTech, advocating for a move away from traditional rote learning and toward fostering essential 21st-century skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving. Mr. Jian Xi also shared an example from South Korea, where the government is introducing AI-powered digital textbooks. These interactive, resource-rich tools are designed to support personalized learning and cater to individual student needs.
My Key Takeaways
AI in schools isn’t optional — it’s overdue. But it must be grounded in pedagogy, not just technology.
Ethical AI literacy begins with awareness, not algorithms.
Inclusion means more than access. It means building, questioning, and owning the AI future.
Teachers matter more than ever. AI can assist — but never replace — the human heart of education.
Dr. S. Neethi is involved in AI for Education at CeRAI, IIT Madras. He has around 30 years of experience in corporate and academic education. He can be reached at neethi.s@dsai.iitm.ac.in