Originally posted on LinkedIn by Ahmet Murat KILIÇ, Sept. 7, 2026.
Head of the Digital Transformation Unit [Digital citizenship, artificial intelligence and education, digital transformation in education]
Last week the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe adopted Recommendation CM/Rec(2026)12 on artificial intelligence literacy. The Committee of Ministers calls on governments to promote AI literacy throughout the education system and society, ensuring that it is progressively made available to all segments of the population. It specifically calls for providing education, training and continuous professional development on AI literacy for public officials and other relevant professionals, with particular attention to education professionals.
The Recommendation has been prepared by the Steering Committee for Education (consists of government experts from 46 member states) with the support of Council of Europe consultants on AI and Education (Wayne Holmes, Jen Persson, Ron Salaj and Ilkka Tuomi) and contributions from 80 experts including policy makers, academics, educators and representatives from youth organisations, NGOs and private sector.
The Recommendation places education at the centre of Europe’s response to AI. It gives concrete effect to Article 20 of the Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law (CETS No. 225), which commits States Parties to promoting digital literacy and skills.
AI is a sociotechnical phenomenon
The recommendation defines AI not simply as a technology but as a sociotechnical phenomenon: the systems themselves, as well as the people, institutions, policies, and social practices that shape how they are designed and used. AI literacy, therefore, means understanding AI’s effects on society, not just knowing how the tools work. This sets the recommendation apart from other AI-literacy frameworks, which mainly focus on technical skills and reflects the Council of Europe’s long-standing conviction that education is one of the pillars of democracy.
The human dimension of AI
The recommendation offers member states a coherent framework of 22 guiding principles, organised around four themes: foundational understanding of AI; human rights and human dignity; democracy and the rule of law; and social agency and critical thinking. These rest on a three-dimensional model of AI literacy that encompasses the human, technological, and practical dimensions of AI. Particular weight is given to the human dimension: human dignity, social agency, privacy, autonomy, equity and non-discrimination, together with AI’s wider implications for well-being, social justice, sustainable development and the environment.
Full text: https://search.coe.int/cm/eng?i=09125948802cde8e
Infographic: https://rm.coe.int/48802d37d3