In the early days of edtech, the “digital divide” referred to the gap between students who had access to devices and the internet and those who didn’t. Fast-forward to 2025, and the definition has shifted. Today, it’s no longer just about whether students have access to technology. It’s about what kind of technology they have access to, especially when it comes to AI.
AI tools are reshaping how students study, research, write, and prepare for assessments. But many of the most powerful features: custom tutoring, summarisation engines, and even AI-powered note generators are locked behind paywalls. And this is creating a silent but serious divide in the classroom.
Not All AI Is Created Equal
Free AI chatbots can be helpful for basic queries or writing suggestions, but premium tools offer much more advanced step-by-step math solutions, personalized feedback, interactive explanations, and subject-specific tutoring sessions powered by advanced language models. These capabilities give students an undeniable edge.
For students with paid access, AI acts like a study partner that’s always available. For those without, it’s a bit like being in a group project where one team has a mentor and the other is left to figure it out alone.
The Equity Problem No One’s Talking About
When students rely on AI to help with homework, revision, or even to understand difficult concepts, those who can’t afford access are immediately at a disadvantage. Over time, this creates measurable differences in learning outcomes, confidence, and even participation in class.
Worse yet, teachers may not always know who has AI support and who doesn’t. A student struggling to keep up may not be less capable, they might simply not have the tools others do.
This subtle inequality rarely shows up on a class attendance sheet. But it’s there in test results, missed deadlines, and fading confidence.
Bring Your Own Bot? Not Quite That Simple
Some schools have tried to democratize access by integrating AI tools into their platforms or offering schoolwide licenses. While this helps, the rapid development of AI means that some of the best tools are still out of reach, either too expensive or too complex for classroom-wide adoption.
Others worry about the ethics: should schools really be promoting tools that may replace human interaction? And how do you ensure academic honesty when answers are just a chatbot away?
Yet ignoring AI altogether doesn’t help either. Students will find and use what’s available to them fairly or not.
The Rise of Open-Access AI for Education
Fortunately, there’s a growing movement to create and support open-access AI tools designed specifically for education. From nonprofit-driven apps to browser extensions that explain content in plain language, innovators are stepping in to level the playing field.
At the same time, institutions are recognizing that tech access isn’t a “nice-to-have”, it’s essential infrastructure, just like books or lab equipment. Expect to see more schools budgeting for AI access the way they do for software licenses or laptops.
Striking the Right Balance
The goal isn’t to replace teachers with AI or to turn every student into a coder overnight. It’s to provide equal footing.
Teachers still play the most vital role in guiding, challenging, and mentoring students. But just like calculators didn’t kill off math class, AI doesn’t need to kill off critical thinking, it just needs to be used wisely.
What’s becoming clear in 2025 is that educational success increasingly hinges on digital fluency. And in a world where AI is a key part of that fluency, access isn’t just a tech issue it’s an equity issue.
Conclusion:
As AI continues to change the way we learn, it’s time to ask hard questions about access and fairness. Because the next digital divide won’t be about who has the internet it’ll be about who has intelligence, artificially.
