The Government has announced a major investment in artificial intelligence-powered tutoring tools, with six UK-based organisations receiving funding to develop technology designed to provide personalised support for pupils across England.

The initiative aims to help up to 450,000 disadvantaged children by offering tailored educational assistance in subjects including English, mathematics, science and modern foreign languages.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said the programme could help transform learning by providing pupils with support that adapts to their individual needs while also helping teachers identify gaps in understanding more quickly.

“Every child deserves access to world-class support with their schoolwork, regardless of their background or what their parents can afford,” she said.

“AI tutors could transform how young people learn, giving them personalised support. This means adapting to how a child learns, providing extra help where it is needed and offering opportunities for pupils to progress further where they can.”

She added that the technology could also support teachers by highlighting topics and concepts that pupils are struggling to understand.

The Government has awarded £300,000 each to six organisations selected for the programme. The successful companies are Eedi, Eleven Labs, Learn Anything, Medly AI, Pearson in partnership with Anthropic, and Zero Gravity.

Ministers said the funding demonstrates the Government’s commitment to supporting British innovation while ensuring UK companies play a leading role in developing the next generation of education technology.

The AI tutoring tools will initially be developed for pupils in Years 9 and 10 and are being created in collaboration with teachers and education specialists to ensure they meet classroom needs.

According to the Department, the systems will be designed to adapt to individual learning styles, provide targeted support where required and identify areas where pupils may need additional practice.

Testing is expected to begin in schools during summer 2026 under teacher supervision, with successful tools potentially becoming available nationally from 2027.

The Government is also developing a new set of national benchmarks intended to ensure AI tutoring systems are accurate, age-appropriate and safe for classroom use. Officials say the standards will be regularly updated to keep pace with advances in technology.

As part of the project, participating companies will receive exploratory access to the Government’s AI Content Store, which contains publicly available educational resources intended to support the development and evaluation of the tools.

All systems will be required to meet UK safety standards, align with the national curriculum and be developed alongside educators. Companies involved in the pilot programme will also be required to report on the impact of the technology on both pupils and teachers at the conclusion of the trial phase.

The Government says the investment represents a significant step towards widening access to educational support and reducing barriers to opportunity for disadvantaged children across the country.