The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), in collaboration with Ceibal and implemented by Socialab, has launched a regional initiative titled “AI Here!” to identify and support the integration of artificial intelligence in education across Latin America and the Caribbean. The call for proposals is open from July 15 to August 15, 2025, and specifically targets AI-driven solutions already being implemented in schools within the IDB’s 26 borrowing member countries.
This initiative builds on the findings of the IDB’s report, Artificial Intelligence and Education: Building the Future Through Digital Transformation, which provides practical, evidence-based guidance for advancing digital transformation in education systems. The focus is on real-world applications that demonstrate the effective and ethical use of AI to enhance learning outcomes, improve accessibility, and streamline educational system management.
According to IDB’s Education Division Chief, Mercedes Mateo, the initiative aims to move from discussing AI’s potential to demonstrating its impact with concrete, evidence-based applications that can influence public policy across the region. Startups, NGOs, public institutions, and partnerships with technology firms are all encouraged to submit proposals, as long as their AI solutions are in active use within educational environments.
Ceibal, a regional leader in educational technology based in Uruguay, emphasizes that this initiative supports its mission to ensure that innovation directly benefits student learning. Mauro Carballo, Head of AI and Education at Ceibal, underlined the importance of transforming AI from a theoretical concept into classroom-ready solutions. Socialab CEO Valentina González echoed this, noting that AI has already shown promise in addressing educational challenges and that this call will accelerate regional knowledge sharing and collaboration.
Proposals should address key educational challenges such as improving individualized learning experiences, promoting equitable access and continuity in education, or enhancing administrative and decision-making processes within education systems. The three selected initiatives will gain regional recognition through an IDB publication, receive specialized technical assistance from Ceibal’s EduIA Lab, and participate in the EduIA regional conference on AI and education in Montevideo, Uruguay.
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