Artificial intelligence has the potential to transform education for learners across the globe. While AI presents significant opportunities to widen participation, personalise learning and improve educational outcomes, it also risks reinforcing existing inequalities if access, design and implementation fail to consider diverse learners and contexts. Ensuring that AI contributes to more inclusive, equitable and globally relevant education is therefore one of the defining challenges for researchers, educators and policymakers.

This Special Issue explores how artificial intelligence can support inclusive education across diverse educational systems, cultures and socioeconomic contexts. We welcome original research examining how AI can improve access to quality education, reduce barriers to participation and support learners from underrepresented, marginalised and disadvantaged communities. We are particularly interested in work that considers the ethical, cultural and societal implications of AI deployment and promotes evidence-based approaches to creating fair, accessible and inclusive educational environments.

Submissions may be empirical, theoretical, methodological or practice-based and are encouraged from interdisciplinary perspectives spanning education, educational technology, computer science, psychology, accessibility, public policy, international development and the learning sciences. We particularly welcome contributions from researchers working in low- and middle-income countries and studies that bring diverse global perspectives to the development and application of AI in education.