South Australia will roll out its homegrown generative AI tool, EdChat, to every public high school student from next term, making it the first mover on generative AI for students.
The Department for Education partnered with Microsoft to develop EdChat, which has been in trial since 2023 with more than 10,000 students.
The system is modelled on ChatGPT but built with additional security protections designed specifically for education settings.
An independent Insights Report released Monday shows uptake across both teachers and students, with more than 40 per cent of students and 36 per cent of educators using the tool at least once during the trial.
Most prompts were curriculum-related, with students using EdChat to practise foreign languages, solve mathematics problems, and rephrase instructions they found difficult to understand. Teachers reported time savings in lesson planning, drafting communications, and managing curriculum materials.
Education Minister Blair Boyer said the statewide expansion came after South Australia’s decision not to ban AI in schools.
“We would be doing a disservice to our students otherwise, given AI is now part of people’s lives,” Mr Boyer said.
“This is why we have worked with Microsoft to develop a safe version for use in schools that teaches them how to use AI responsibly and effectively.”
The tool available to principals, teachers and pre-school staff in late 2024. The government said it was used to summarise survey data, adapt materials for different abilities, and reduce administrative tasks.
South Australia’s move comes as other jurisdictions continue to explore classroom AI. New South Wales last year gave teachers access to its own custom-built tool, NSWEduChat, with student use still limited to a 50-school trial underway since April.
Western Australia is also trialling AI applications in classrooms to cut teacher workload.
In August, the Productivity Commission recommended a coordinated national approach to deploying generative AI and other edtech in schools, arguing that equitable access could help ease teacher shortages, improve personalisation of learning, and deliver stronger student outcomes.
Adelaide Botanic High School principal Sarah Chambers said the trial showed EdChat could enhance, rather than replace, classroom learning.
“Our school is a living ecosystem for ethical innovation – where EdChat serves as a tool to enhance, not replace, the relationships that sit at the heart of education,” Ms Chambers said.
“We work with our students to use EdChat not to take shortcuts, but to challenge themselves, ask better questions, and develop their own voice and creativity.”
Assistant Minister for Artificial Intelligence and the Digital Economy Michael Brown said EdChat had already reduced workloads for educators while giving students new ways to engage.
“Student safety and learning outcomes remain at the forefront of our approach to ensure students are equipped for the real world,” Mr Brown said.
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