The AI Threat Landscape and Schools

Schools are navigating an increasingly complex digital environment and many are working hard to keep pace. Today’s school ecosystems are made up of cloud-based workspaces, learning applications, collaboration tools, student and parent portals, and essential legacy systems that underpin core operations Almost every aspect of the school day is now digital - from attendance tracking and lunch orders to reporting and communication.

At the same time, AI is reshaping the threat landscape at speed. Threats are becoming more automated and more targeted, which raises the stakes around student privacy, trust, and the continuity of learning. This doesn’t reflect a lack of intent or effort from schools, rather, it highlights how challenging execution can be when responsibility and technology are spread across multiple systems and teams.

Protecting school communities is a shared responsibility. Cybersecurity and cyber safety go hand in hand, and real resilience comes from combining the right technology with education, awareness, and clear communication. When schools lead with confidence, build digital skills across their communities, and create strong foundations for safe technology use, they can continue to embrace digital learning and innovation in a way that supports growth, wellbeing and the protection of the next generation.

The Biggest Threat for Schools
One of the most significant challenges for schools today is managing the everyday digital risks in an AI-enabled world. As AI becomes more accessible, both attackers and everyday users are adopting it quickly. This means schools need to help their communities understand how manipulation, impersonation, and misinformation can occur, and how to respond safely.

Another growing issue is the independent and ungoverned use of AI tools by students. Without clear guidance and approved platforms, this can create a “shadow AI” environment where tools haven’t been assessed for privacy, accuracy, or age-appropriateness. Rather than restricting innovation, schools are best placed to provide safe, structured AI options, so students can build healthy digital habits and use AI responsibly and ethically.

I believe that awareness remains key. While cyber topics are often covered within digital technology curricula, schools benefit from reinforcing everyday cyber awareness across staff, students, and families. This includes understanding how AI-driven manipulation works, practising good digital hygiene, and knowing where to seek help. Resources such as our AI Security in the Classroom Toolkit give teachers practical, ready-to-use materials to help guide students.

Technology also plays an important role. As schools rely on more connected devices and platforms, maintaining up-to-date systems, regularly testing cyber readiness, and adopting security that can respond quickly to emerging threats helps reduce pressure on already stretched teams. Solutions such as Prisma Browser help schools create safer digital learning environments by securing browser-based activity where students increasingly access AI and online tools. Clear response plans, simple protective steps, and appropriate automation all contribute to long-term resilience.

Adoption of AI Agents in Education, and How to Secure Them
For clarity, an AI agent is a digital assistant that can take actions on your behalf. Unlike traditional AI tools, it doesn’t just provide answers, it can carry out tasks.

AI agents are beginning to appear in education, particularly in administrative workflows and classroom support, though adoption is still at an early stage. What’s changing faster is the associated risk profile. Once an AI agent is given access to systems or data, it effectively becomes a digital staff member, and if compromised, the impact can scale at speed.

Securing AI agents should follow the same principles as securing any digital identity. Schools need visibility into what each agent can access, clear guardrails around its behaviour, and ongoing monitoring to ensure it operates as intended.

As schools increasingly use AI to save time and support educators, security needs to be just as automated and responsive. When AI is deployed within a clear, well-governed framework, it can enhance learning and efficiency without introducing unnecessary risk, ensuring technology supports educators rather than creating new vulnerabilities.

Quantum Technologies Will Impact Schools
Quantum computing may not necessarily be an immediate concern for most schools, and education is unlikely to be the first sector affected compared to areas like banking or critical infrastructure. However, its implications for long-term security are important to understand now.

The key issue is that data stolen today could potentially be decrypted in the future as quantum capabilities mature. Student records, identity data, and safeguarding information all have long lifespans, which means protecting this requires a forward-looking approach.

Schools have also become more digitally reliant since the pandemic, with online platforms supporting learning, assessments, and communication. These systems hold sensitive information, and maintaining trust in them is critical.

The priority isn’t a complete overhaul of school systems, rather, it’s about ensuring that the technologies schools rely on are being built and supported with quantum-safe principles in mind. Working with technology partners who are preparing for this future helps schools stay resilient over the long term.

Ultimately, providing secure digital environments today protects students not just now, but well into the future.