AWS Public Sector Blog

Pearson at AWS DC Summit 2025: Transforming education through AI-powered learning solutions

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming not only the way we work, but also how we learn and acquire the skills essential for success in a rapidly shifting economy. When thoughtfully designed, AI has the power to unlock personalized learning experiences, empowering individuals to gain crucial skills and knowledge needed to thrive in a world where technology is advancing faster than traditional human skills.

During the 2025 AWS Summit in Washington, DC keynote address, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Pearson showcased the strength of their expanded collaboration to accelerate the development of AI-powered, personalized learning solutions. Omar Abbosh, CEO of Pearson, joined Dave Levy, vice president of Worldwide Public Sector and Healthcare and Life Sciences North America at AWS, to showcase how generative AI is revolutionizing learning pathways—from early education all the way to professional development.

Bridging the growing skills gap

During his presentation, Omar highlighted that by 2030, approximately 65 percent of in-demand workforce skills will be reshaped by rapid advancements in AI and technology. This transformation is significant given that nearly 30 million Americans lack a high school diploma, and many continue to face persistent challenges with basic literacy and math skills.

Too many people are slipping through the cracks, between school and work, or between their current job and the next one, because they lack the skills needed to push their careers forward. With AI accelerating disruption across sectors, Omar warned that the current skills gap is “at risk of becoming a skills chasm without bold and courageous action now.”

Beyond the human costs of limited opportunity, this skills gap carries significant economic consequences. According to Pearson research, inefficient transitions from school to work and between jobs costs the US economy about $1.1 trillion every year, which equates to about five percent of GDP. Even modest improvements, like shortening these transitions by a few weeks, could put an estimated $40 billion of earnings back into the economy every single year.

AI-enhanced tools to support students and teachers

To help bridge the skills gap, Pearson is expanding its generative AI capabilities with Amazon Bedrock. Using AWS AI capabilities, Pearson can deliver more personalized, accessible, and adaptive learning experiences for millions of students.

Omar highlighted Pearson Revise, an exam practice tool designed for young learners that offers guided study, instant feedback, and personalized flashcards. The tool also provides positive reinforcement and flags learning gaps for teachers and parents, helping them intervene earlier.

These AI-powered tools are already having an impact. Over the past year, two million students have had access to the AI tools embedded into Pearson’s higher education courseware platforms and those who used the tools were four times more likely to be engaged learners.

However, Omar emphasized that technology alone is not the answer. “When you put a human in the loop of learning with great technology you can achieve truly wonderful outcomes,” he said. That’s why it’s never been more important to support the millions of teachers who are teaching tens of millions of students around the world and preparing them for the future of work.

According to a Pearson study, 43 percent of teachers spend at least three hours each week planning lessons, time that could otherwise be spent on coaching, mentoring, and directly supporting students’ learning needs.

To support educators, Pearson developed the Smart Lesson Generator, a generative AI-powered tool that simplifies lesson planning. It assembles quizzes, comprehension activities, and practice questions for English language learners in seconds. By drawing on Pearson’s proprietary content and generating customized materials, the Smart Lesson Generator can save teachers hours of preparation time each week.

Facilitating more insightful assessments

Pearson is also using AI to streamline the creation of assessments and support ongoing professional growth.

Omar highlighted Pearson’s Connections Academy platform for virtual learning, where teachers can quickly create curriculum-aligned assessments, ranging from multiple choice questions to essay prompts that are aligned to the school’s curriculum at the right grade level, subject, and course unit. Educators using these tools report saving nearly half the time typically spent preparing assessments.

This commitment to innovation extends beyond K-12 learning. Pearson is also developing workplace tools and resources, such as digital wallets and credential management, to help people in the personal and professional journeys. These solutions help individuals build, validate, and showcase real-world skills to employers.

Looking ahead: AI as a foundation for lifelong learning

Omar concluded by expressing optimism about AI’s role in expanding access to opportunity and driving prosperity. He encouraged attendees to embrace the responsible use of AI to help close the widening skills gap and prepare for the future. “AI isn’t just a great disruptor, it’s a solution,” he said, “It helps us think smarter, close the skills gap, and build broader access to prosperity.”

Pearson’s AI-powered tools and resources, built on AWS, help organizations and individuals achieve better outcomes at every stage of learning. To explore your own AI learning journey, visit genAItestdrive.com, where you can take Pearson’s no-cost generative AI skills assessment and identify areas for growth.

The conversation about the future of technology to transform education will continue at the AWS Imagine Education, State, and Local Government conference from July 29-30, 2025, in Chicago, Illinois. The no-cost conference will bring together nearly 1,000 education leaders to discuss how AI and other cloud technologies can power lifelong learning and achievement. Register now to attend.

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