What works?! A National R&D Infrastructure for Trustworthy AI

AI tools are transforming education at a pace that outpaces our ability to understand their impact. New platforms promise personalization and improved outcomes, yet K–12 districts and higher-education institutions spend billions without reliable evidence that these tools work for their students. Traditional research models—slow, fragmented, and limited in scope—cannot keep up with technologies that evolve in weeks. We study slivers of the learning experience when what’s needed is a whole-learner view: what works, for whom, in which contexts, and why.
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Without rapid, rigorous research at scale, ineffective tools waste instructional time, widen opportunity gaps, and erode trust. In response, the National Science Foundation has made a historic investment in a national education R&D infrastructure. SafeInsights enables researchers, edtech developers, and institutions to answer previously impossible questions by bringing analysis to the data—securely, privately, and at scale.
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This session explores how a privacy-first research network can help developers test innovations across millions of learners, equip institutions with clear evidence of effectiveness, and allow funders to shift from speculative bets to validated impact. Join cross-sector leaders working with SafeInsights to imagine—and build—a future where AI is not just innovative, but trustworthy, equitable, and beneficial for all students."