AI Answers, People Decide: UNESCO Releases New Guide for Educators and Learners

Mariya Gabriel, UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information, stressed the need to preserve people’s ability to think critically as AI changes learning and communication.

UNESCO has launched a new educational resource to help educators and learners question AI-generated information and make informed decisions about what they encounter. Presented in an announcement dated 10 November 2026, the publication is titled AI Answers. You Decide. – Teaching Media and Information Literacy in AI-Mediated Information Environments. It was introduced during Global Media and Information Literacy Week, held from 24–31 October 2026, as part of UNESCO's work to help education systems adapt to a changing digital environment.

Artificial intelligence is reshaping how people create, find and share information, bringing new opportunities for learning, creativity and access to knowledge. Generative tools can produce convincing text, images, audio and video, and algorithms increasingly influence the content people encounter online. Questions about reliability, authenticity, privacy, algorithmic bias and transparency make it essential for learners to understand how these systems affect the information they receive.

Mariya Gabriel, UNESCO's Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information, stressed the need to preserve people's ability to think critically as AI changes learning and communication. She said people must be able to question what they see and make informed choices about the information presented to them. The publication supports that independence by helping learners develop the judgment they need to navigate an information environment increasingly shaped by AI.

Understanding the systems behind AI-generated information

Media and Information Literacy, known as MIL, provides a framework for examining AI's influence on information, knowledge and society. The guide encourages learners to understand the systems and interests behind AI technologies, recognize their limitations and assess their wider social impact. Its focus is on how AI shapes information, human behaviour and knowledge, giving educators a foundation that extends beyond instruction in particular tools or technical skills.

The publication builds on UNESCO's flagship curriculum, Media and Information Literate Citizens: Think Critically, Click Wisely!, launched in 2021 and subsequently piloted and adapted in more than 40 countries. Eight international experts contributed to the new companion guide, with ten additional specialists reviewing its content. Educators, teacher-training institutions and curriculum developers are its primary audiences, with a teaching framework designed for information environments increasingly influenced by AI.

Five areas connect everyday AI use with wider social questions

The guide's first area examines AI in everyday life, helping learners understand its applications and the role personal data plays in these systems. Its exploration of AI and the media considers changes to journalism, content creation and the ways people access information. A third area connects AI with the human mind and knowledge, strengthening critical thinking, informed trust and the ability to evaluate AI-generated material.

Questions of power and human rights form the fourth area, covering algorithmic bias, inequalities, sustainability and AI's broader implications for society. The fifth area invites learners to consider the future and participate in shaping AI that is inclusive and centred on people. These five interconnected areas give educators a framework for discussing personal experiences with AI alongside its influence on communities, rights and public life.

Practical activities help educators bring the guide into lessons

Conceptual explanations are paired with discussion questions, practical activities and examples that educators can adapt to different educational settings. Author Anne Leppäjärvi explains that AI changes the environment in which media and information literacy is applied, with its foundations remaining relevant. Her central message is that learners need lasting critical thinking skills to navigate changing information environments, freeing education from the pressure to keep pace with every technological development.