EdTech Trends 2025: Challenges, AI Adoption & Global Shifts in Education

Educational technology providers worldwide are bracing for a shift after years of increasing adoption of digital tools aimed at enhancing learning experiences in classrooms.

Several countries—including those once at the forefront of ed-tech integration—are now facing growing concerns from parents regarding screen time, young students’ internet access, and whether technology is hindering essential skills like handwriting and critical thinking.

Many industry leaders liken this trend to a pendulum swing, predicting that the preference for digital tools will eventually return. However, this shift presents immediate challenges for the global ed-tech sector in the coming years.

And this is just one of several hurdles K-12 education vendors anticipate.

During the annual Bett UK ed-tech conference in London, executives from education companies worldwide shared insights with EdWeek Market Brief about the most pressing challenges the industry will face in 2025 and beyond.

Five key issues emerged, including helping educators keep pace with rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, navigating political uncertainty, and addressing ongoing concerns about data privacy and digital tools.

These perspectives shed light on broader trends unfolding in different markets, including the United States, and highlight the obstacles education providers may encounter when expanding internationally.

Additionally, these discussions offer insights into why some companies may—or may not—consider entering the U.S. market in the near future.

One of the most striking shifts away from digital learning is occurring in Sweden, a country that has long been a leader in ed-tech adoption.

 

Sweden began implementing a 1:1 student-to-device ratio in the early 2000s, well before many school districts in the U.S. followed suit. Now, the Swedish government is reconsidering some of its technology policies, favoring a return to traditional learning tools like paper and pencils.

 

Beth Havinga, executive director of the European Ed-Tech Alliance, has observed a similar trend in other European nations, including Finland, Spain, and Hungary. While each country has distinct motivations, they all share a common goal of reducing student reliance on digital tools.
 

In the United States, this concern has taken shape through restrictions on cell phones and social media usage in schools.

 

Despite these shifts, digital tools will continue to play an integral role in education as students need to develop proficiency with modern technologies. The key, according to Jennifer Gu, chief operations officer at IXL Learning, is to ensure that technology enhances learning rather than isolating students.
 

 

“At the end of the day, we all want our students to have balance in how they engage with technology,” Gu emphasized.
 

By 2030, IBM projects that AI will influence approximately 80% of tasks across major industries, including education, according to Justina Nixon-Saintil, the company’s chief innovation officer.

As with any emerging technology, educators will respond differently. Nixon-Saintil categorizes them into three groups: those who quickly understand AI’s benefits, those who are cautiously open to exploring it, and those who require additional support to recognize its value.