Stanford University's Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence published the education chapter of its 2026 AI Index Report, covering how AI use is spreading through US schools and how the AI talent pipeline is changing.

Four out of five US high school and college students now report using AI for schoolwork. School policy has moved more slowly. About half of US middle and high schools have an AI policy in place, and 6 percent of teachers describe those policies as clear. Students most often apply generative tools to research, essay editing and brainstorming.

Enrollment data shows a split. Computer science enrollment at US four-year universities fell 11 percent between 2024 and 2025. Master's degrees awarded in AI software-related fields rose 17 percent from 2023 to 2024, indicating that demand for specialized AI credentials held while general computer science interest cooled.

Doctoral output also grew. The number of new AI PhDs awarded in the United States and Canada rose 22 percent from 2022 to 2024. The share of those graduates taking industry roles stayed flat, so the entire increase went into academic positions, reversing a decade in which most new AI PhDs moved into companies.

The report places US graduate production in global context. The United States remains the leading producer of information and communications technology graduates at every degree level, while Turkey, Brazil and Mexico have expanded their output faster in recent years. More than 90 percent of countries now offer computer science instruction at the primary or secondary level.

Source: Stanford HAI - https://hai.stanford.edu/ai-index/2026-ai-index-report/education