There is an avalanche of blogs, papers. reports and so on over AI in higher education and in schools. There is not so much about vocational education and training. And as for adult education - it has largely been ignored. I suppose one reason may be that adult education provision varies so much in different countries. And another may be that funding for adult educati9on is generally pretty poor. That is why the latest resource kit "Beyond the Buzz: AI in Adult Education" in the EU EPALE electronic platform and newsletter is so welcome.

The faeture asks the central question of "Can AI replicate the empathy that defines transformative educational relationships? And how can we ensure that it serves all learners, rather than exacerbating existing inequalities?:

"Beyond the Buzz: AI in Adult Education", they say, "brings together educators, career counsellors, technologists and policymakers who are united by a common belief: that technology should enhance, rather than diminish, the transformative nature of education. This issue features in-depth analysis and case studies that always keep humans at the centre. Because the most important question isn't what AI can do for education — it's how we can use AI to make learning more human, not less."

The contributors to the resource kit explore hybrid approaches that enhance, rather than replace, human judgement saying that the most powerful AI applications in education do not eliminate human involvement; rather, they enhance our capacity for empathy, critical thinking and genuine connection. They believe this is especially true in the fields of adult learning and career guidance, where the coaching relationship — founded on trust and experiential knowledge — remains unparalleled, even as AI tools become more advanced.