5 Questions: Siim Sikkut: Estonia is Bringing Educational Chatbots to Classrooms

Estonia has a reputation as one of the most digitally advanced nations in the world, thanks to its efficient digital platforms for government services and its startup-friendly culture. Its citizens' prowess is largely due to a program called Tiger Leap that the government launched in the 1990s to bring computers and Internet into all Estonian schools. Now, the government is launching AI Leap 2025, which will bring AI tools to an initial cohort of 20,000 high school students in September. Siim Sikkut, a former Estonian government official and part of the launch team, told IEEE Spectrum the AI Leap program goes beyond just providing access to new technology. Its goal is to give students the skills they need to use it both ethically and effectively.