Beyond Reading and Math: PISA 2029 Adds Media and AI Literacy

Friday, 01 August 2025 | Wong Lai Cheng, Senior Communication and Publication Manager, SEAMEO RECSAM
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Innovation in Teaching and Learning

Beyond Reading and Math: PISA 2029 Adds Media and AI Literacy
Wong Lai Cheng, Senior Communication and Publication Manager, SEAMEO RECSAM

 

Description 1

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer a distant concept—it’s already transforming how we live, learn, and work. As education systems adapt to this rapid change, a key question arises:

Are students being equipped with the right skills to thrive in an AI-driven world?

To help answer this question and guide future education policies, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) will introduce a new domain—Media and AI Literacy (MAIL)—in the 2029 programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). This marks an important step toward preparing students for the digital challenges ahead by first measuring their ability to think critically and act responsibly in a media- and AI-driven world.


What is Media and AI Literacy (MAIL)?

Description 1

In today’s world, media and AI are deeply interconnected—shaping how information is created, shared, and consumed. To thrive in this environment, students need more than just traditional digital skills; they need the ability to understand and critically engage with both media and AI technologies.

  • Media literacy refers to the ability to access, analyse, evaluate, create, and responsibly engage with information in various media formats (Livingstone, 2008; Hobbs, 2017; Potter, 2019). It equips learners to question sources, identify bias, and communicate ethically.
  • AI literacy, on the other hand, focuses on understanding and interacting with artificial intelligence systems. It enables learners to use AI tools effectively, create with and manage AI technologies, and evaluate their benefits, risks, and ethical implications (OECD, 2025).
  • MAIL combines these two domains into one essential competency. This integrated approach goes beyond teaching students how to consume information or operate technology—it empowers them to think critically, act responsibly, and participate meaningfully in a world where media and AI increasingly shape decisions, opportunities, and social dynamics.

Why Media and AI Literacy (MAIL) Matters

Despite the growing role of AI and digital media in society, most school curricula still overlook key issues like algorithmic bias or synthetic media. Without these skills, students are more likely to become passive consumers—vulnerable to manipulation, misinformation, and digital harm.

PISA 2029 aims to change that. By introducing Media and AI Literacy (MAIL) as a new assessment domain, OECD takes a critical first step toward preparing education systems for the challenges ahead. This assessment will go beyond technical skills; it will measure students’ ability to think critically, act ethically, and participate meaningfully in a world shaped by media and AI.


What will students be expected to do?

  1. Identify bias and misinformation
  2. Understand algorithmic personalisation
  3. Recognise manipulated or synthetic content
  4. Reflect on ethical and social impacts of technology
  5. Evaluate the reliability and intent behind digital content

This is not about telling students what to think—it’s about equipping them with the tools to ask the right questions, such as:

“Who created this content?” and “Why was it made?”

As AI and media technologies continue to evolve, so must education. The future of AI will not be shaped by machines alone, but by people—through ethical oversight, informed decision-making, and shared responsibility. PISA 2029 marks an important first step, but the journey ahead belongs to all of us. Together, we must shape a generation that does not merely coexist with AI as passive users, but thrives as critical thinkers, responsible citizens, and active architects of a digital future.

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