Ed3 DAO Unveils Initiative to Redefine Teacher Role in AI Era

New project aims to address looming educational challenges for teachers caused by rapid tech changes

NEW YORK, Aug. 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A coalition of education and technology experts announced today the launch of "The Portrait of a Teacher in the Age of AI Project," a first-of-its-kind initiative designed to map and support the evolving needs of educators in rapidly changing technological environments.

The project, spearheaded by Ed3 DAO—a nonprofit committed to equipping one million educators with technology skills—seeks to examine how the role of the teacher is evolving in an AI-driven world, with the goal of creating an open-source framework that helps education organizations and leaders adapt hiring, professional development, and evaluation practices. As stated by Ed3 DAO CEO Vriti Saraf, "Teachers are not replaceable, but they do need to evolve. We aim to equip every teacher with the ability to leverage their human advantage and optimize their use of AI instead of trying to compete with it."

The initiative takes a collaborative, "build with public," and data-driven approach through three foundational phases designed to ensure relevance and practicality:

• Phase #1: Assess the current impact of Generative AI on education, identifying gaps that educators see between the promise and practice of AI use.
• Phase #2: Examine the architecture of the educator role today and identify necessary shifts in an AI-augmented system.
• Phase #3: Develop a set of adaptable frameworks and tools to empower schools and districts nationwide to define their own evolving teacher portrait within this new landscape.

"The relationship between the teacher and student, in the presence of content, is at the core of how deep learning happens," said Chaula Gupta, Vice President & Chief Program Office at Digital Promise. "We see technology as a supporter and enhancer of this instructional core and aim to help teachers create powerful learning experiences for their students, powered by technology."

This crucial work, detailed further at the Portrait of a Teacher homepage, is supported by an influential Advisory Council including k12 and higher education administrators (like NYC Dept of Education and Arizona State University), researchers, and industry partners (like Google for Education and Pearson). 

Ultimately, the Project's work will support student success in the age of AI. "If we don't transform the teaching profession, we will not provide students the spaces, the agency and flexibility, and the supports they need to invest in their own purpose and growth. They won't develop the expertise they need to be prepared for a world that expects them to own their learning journey moving forward." said Joseph South, Chief Innovation Officer at ISTE+ASCD.

This Project invites the public to contribute, with the outcomes to be made widely available. To make your voice count and to learn more, please visit the Portrait of a Teacher website. Click the "Join the Brain Trust" link to be a part of this exciting and important initiative.

"At the end of the day education is a human endeavor. There is no getting around that." said Mike Yates, Senior Product Designer, AI at Teach for America Reinvention Lab. "We must fight to use technology to make education more meaningful and more human."

In addition to the Teach for America Reinvention Lab, ISTE, and Digital Promise, the current Advisory Council is comprised of members from the following organizations: AERDF, Association of Technology Leaders in Independent Schools (ATLIS), Cajon Valley Unified School District, Compton Unified School District, NYC Outward Bound Schools, Digital Promise, EdSolutions, Edtech Insiders, Emergence, ETS, Getting Smart, Google for Education, Hoover Institute at Stanford University, ISTE+ASCD, Jobs for the Future, Latinos for Education, Leading Educators, Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation at Arizona State University, National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), NYC Dept of Education, Pearson, ReThink Capital, Rural Schools Collaborative, Teach for America, Teach for America Reinvention Lab, The Human Potential L.A.B., Utah State Board of Education.

The Project is being led and facilitated by Ed3 DAO with early support from LearnerStudio.

About Ed3 DAO

Ed3 DAO is a nonprofit that operates at the intersection of education and emerging technology. Its mission is to upskill one million educators through pedagogically grounded online courses in artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies. Built for K-12 and higher education institutions, Ed3 DAO's programs are designed for educators, by educators. Ed3 also hosts an international community of practice with 4,000 members and facilitates cutting edge R&D projects.

Website: ed3dao.com 

Media Inquiries: [email protected]

SOURCE Ed3 DAO