The Edtech Podcast #301 A policy perspective on AI and equity: a fireside chat with Alina Sava
Dec 26, 2025
In a captivating discussion, Alina Sava, a Senior Education Specialist at the World Bank, dives into her dedication to equity in education. She addresses how AI can enhance our workforce, emphasizing lifelong learning while highlighting the risks of a digital divide. Alina advocates for frameworks that ensure safe AI use in schools and argues that AI will transform teachers into crucial coaching figures rather than replace them. With practical insights and a strong focus on protecting vulnerable learners, Alina shares vital steps for governments to navigate the AI landscape.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Three Urgent Education Priorities
- Prioritise three roles for education: practical AI literacy, learner protections, and closing the access gap.
- Treat connectivity, compute and teacher capability as economic infrastructure, not optional edtech.
AI As Leveller Or Divider
- AI is an accelerator that can either level up or deepen existing inequalities in education.
- Access, skills and safeguards must keep pace with AI to avoid a new global divide.
A Career Built Around Equity
- Alina Sava described her mixed academic path: economics, sociology, an MBA and a PhD focused on equity.
- She connects that background to a lifelong commitment to vulnerable learners and shared prosperity.