Not just for top students: How STEM and AI can help every Israeli child thrive

As Israeli students return to classrooms for a new school year, they face the continuing effects of a series of crises stretching from the COVID-19 pandemic to the October 7 attack and the ongoing war, all of which have profoundly affected their lives and communities. At the same time, the rapid rise of artificial intelligence is changing the skills students will need to thrive in the years ahead. Driven by the urgent need to address these hardships while preparing students for an unpredictable future, educators are increasingly focused on equipping children with critical-thinking and practical skills, as well as the ability to adapt. For educators involved in Israel’s expanding STEM efforts, which bring together science, technology, engineering and mathematics, the answer is not simply more instruction in those subjects.