From Classrooms to Careers: The Future of Education in an AI-Driven World
Microsoft, Monday, October 26th, 2026
Microsoft's Juan Lavista Ferres introduces Learning Curves, a book of essays on AI's role in education from classrooms to careers.
Microsoft Chief Data Scientist Juan Lavista Ferres introduces Learning Curves, a collection of research essays from Senior Fellows at the Microsoft AI Economy Institute covering K-12, community colleges, college-to-work transitions and entry-level jobs.
He notes AI adoption exceeds 70 percent in the UAE but is in low single digits across much of sub-Saharan Africa, and that more than half of U.S. teens use AI chatbots for schoolwork.
Contributors argue teachers need training, local context matters, apprenticeships and two-year programs can adapt quickly, and access alone does not ensure success.
He concludes AI helps most when it strengthens human capability.