NSF AI Education Act of 2025

The "NSF AI Education Act of 2025" seeks to significantly enhance artificial intelligence (AI) education and professional development across various levels through the National Science Foundation (NSF). It authorizes the NSF Director to support scholarships and fellowships for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing AI-related degrees, prioritizing those focused on AI teaching, advanced manufacturing, and agriculture. These awards can cover tuition, fees, stipends, and professional development for up to five years, with outreach efforts targeting rural and underrepresented institutions. The bill also introduces professional development fellowships for students, teachers, faculty, and industry professionals to foster collaboration and skill development in AI, including short-term appointments for industry experts to instruct students. Furthermore, the Act establishes up to eight Community College and Area Career and Technical Education Centers of AI Excellence . These centers, designated by the NSF Director in coordination with the Department of Commerce, will be regionally and geographically diverse. Their primary goal is to enhance educational outcomes and drive workforce development by integrating AI into teaching, learning, and community engagement, focusing on best practices for AI research, education, and curriculum integration. Eligible applicants, including community colleges and technical schools, must partner with various entities like government, industry, or other higher education institutions. The legislation also authorizes the NSF to make competitive awards for research on AI in education . These awards will support eligible entities in promoting research on teaching models, tools, and materials for AI, its integration into K-12 classrooms, and its impact on learning outcomes. The research will emphasize preparing K-12 teachers to integrate AI effectively and develop scalable professional development models. Finally, the bill allows the NSF Director to establish an Artificial Intelligence Collaborative , a pilot program of regional cohorts providing peer support, mentoring, and hands-on research experiences for K-12 educators, principals, and school leaders to build a network for engaging with AI educational efforts and interacting with AI researchers and industry.