A groundbreaking cross-disciplinary research endeavor at MIT is transforming how society understands and utilizes artificial intelligence. The initiative, known as Responsible AI for Social Empowerment and Education (RAISE), creates innovative teaching methodologies and tools designed to engage learners from preK-12 through professional development.
“Artificial intelligence has become integrated into our daily existence—present in our applications, gadgets, and social platforms. It's reshaping economies, institutions, and personal experiences. Digital literacy alone no longer suffices; AI literacy has become essential for individuals to responsibly leverage and create with artificial intelligence at personal, community, and societal levels,” explains Cynthia Breazeal, RAISE Director and MIT professor of media arts and sciences.
“Currently, acquiring AI knowledge to develop applications typically requires advanced computer science education,” Breazeal continues. “This educational barrier remains significant. Our initiative's vision centers on democratizing AI—prioritizing equity, accessibility, and responsible empowerment for all.”
Based in the MIT Media Lab, RAISE collaborates with the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing and MIT Open Learning. The initiative combines research with educational outreach to advance knowledge and create technologies that support diverse learners in understanding AI, while exploring how artificial intelligence can enhance human learning. Through partnerships with Open Learning and the Abdul Latif Jameel World Education Lab (J-WEL), RAISE extends its influence globally, emphasizing equity and justice.
Leveraging MIT's legacy as both an AI pioneer and educational leader, the initiative builds upon existing strengths. “MIT already excels at undergraduate and graduate AI education,” notes Breazeal, who leads the Media Lab's Personal Robots group and serves as an associate director. “We're now expanding our leadership in educational research, learning sciences, and technological innovation to broaden AI education and empower society to collectively shape our AI-enhanced future.”
Alongside Breazeal, RAISE's leadership includes co-directors Hal Abelson, professor of computer science and education; Eric Klopfer, professor and director of the Scheller Teacher Education Program; and Hae Won Park, Media Lab research scientist. Key contributors also feature Sanjay Sarma, vice president for open learning, with dozens of additional faculty, staff, and students participating across the Institute.
“In today's rapidly evolving technological and economic landscape, enhancing the effectiveness, accessibility, and equity of education from preK-12 through workforce development represents a critical global challenge,” states Daniel Huttenlocher, dean of the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing. “AI offers remarkable potential for new pedagogical approaches and platforms. Developing computing advances for public benefit aligns perfectly with our College's mission, and I'm thrilled about our involvement in this initiative.”
The initiative focuses on four strategic impact areas: promoting diversity and inclusion in AI, developing AI literacy in preK-12 education, creating AI workforce training programs, and advancing AI-supported learning. Success means that RAISE's innovations—new knowledge, materials, technologies, and programs—will enhance the effectiveness, experience, equity, and impact of AI education initiatives throughout MIT and beyond.
RAISE is developing AI-enhanced tools to support human learning across diverse subjects. “Our Media Lab team has extensively researched companion AI,” shares Park. “Personalized learning companions, including social robots, support individual students' learning and motivation. These technologies provide effective, safe environments for students to explore subjects like early literacy and language development.”
Diversity and inclusion principles will permeate all RAISE activities, addressing historical inequities within the AI field. “We continually encounter stories of unintended biases and inequities emerging from AI systems,” Breazeal observes. “Consequently, our initiative aims to educate a more diverse group in the responsible design and deployment of AI technologies—people who will better represent the communities these future products and services will serve.”
This spring, RAISE is piloting Future Makers, a K-12 outreach initiative bringing engaging, hands-on AI learning experiences to teachers and students, particularly from underserved communities, including Title I schools.
To extend AI education beyond traditional classrooms, RAISE creates and distributes curricula, teacher resources, and user-friendly AI tools enabling anyone—even without programming experience—to build original applications for desktop and mobile platforms. “Scratch and App Inventor already reach millions of learners worldwide,” Abelson explains. “RAISE enhances these platforms, making powerful AI accessible to everyone for increased creativity and personal expression.”
Ethical considerations will be central to RAISE's curriculum and teaching tools. “Our philosophy integrates technical concepts with ethical design practices from the outset,” Breazeal emphasizes. “Understanding societal implications cannot be an afterthought in AI education.”
“Artificial intelligence is transforming how we interact with technology—as consumers, designers, and developers,” Klopfer notes. “It's creating a new innovation paradigm. We must ensure everyone can harness this technology constructively, creatively, and beneficially.”
“Connecting this initiative to engineering, computing, humanities, arts, and social sciences recognizes its multidimensional nature,” Klopfer adds.
Sarma highlights RAISE's goal to improve AI literacy in the workforce, adapting some K-12 approaches for adult learners. “Many of these tools, when refined for adult learners, will make tremendous impact,” he predicts. For instance, he envisions programs training radiology technicians in how AI interprets diagnostic imagery and, crucially, understanding its potential errors.
“Artificial intelligence is creating transformative effects across society,” Breazeal concludes. “Today's children are not merely digital natives—they're AI natives. Adults must understand AI to participate meaningfully in democratic discussions about how these systems should be deployed.”
