The new futuristic AI tool to roll out in Queensland schools
A brand new government-built AI tool is set to roll out in all Queensland’s state schools, in a move that could slash teacher workloads.
A brand new futuristic Artificial Intelligence tool is expected to roll out in all Queensland’s state schools by June next year.
The government-owned program currently under trial in a handful of state schools, known as Corella AI, is expected to improve teacher workloads, digital literacy in both staff and students and support individualised student learning.
Corella is designed specifically to the Australian Curriculum and ensures data security for all users.
According to the state government, it will be available to all state school teachers and school leaders as well as Year 9 and 10 students by June 2026.
Minister for Education John-Paul Langbroek said Corella had “significant potential” to improve teaching and learning.
“This tool has been developed with teachers and students at its core,” Mr Langbroek said.
“Corella represents a significant step forward in equipping educators and students with the tools they need to thrive in the digital age.”
Mr Langbroek said teachers had said the tool reduced their workloads.
“Teachers use it for administrative activities such as drafting emails and file notes, for research and summarising documents, and to generate lesson ideas,” he said.
“From the trials, we’ve learned older students are using Corella to support their learning such as brainstorming or checking their understanding of a topic.”
Corella has been trialled at 15 high schools and 11 primary schools over the past 12 months throughout Queensland.
Mr Langbroek said we needed “more protections” to ensure there was no inappropriate content.
“For teachers, it’s going to mean things like helping them with emails, lesson preparation,” he said.
Ms Langbroek said for students, it would help with asking questions about assignment topics without writing the assignment for them.
“Because that’s something that’s very clearly the difference between other AI tools,” he said.
Customer Services and Open Data Minister Steve Minnikin said he was delighted to work with the education department.
“Corella which is an AI genitive Chatbot for secondary school students is a great example of two departments working together,” he said.
Mr Minnikin said it was imperative safeguards were “top and centre” of Corella’s development.
“I can assure they’re the sort of things that have been embedded into the actual program itself,” he said.
Mr Minnikin said AI was something not to be feared, but embraced.
“Like anything though we’d be expecting people to always keep an eye on things.”
Mount Gravatt State High Teacher Hayley Frances said the roll out had been “really interesting.”
“I think we all really appreciate this way of gaining feedback on a tool that could be so useful and that’s always great,” she said.
“Most of the teachers who used it saw it as a great opportunity to actually target the teaching of AI rather than sort of just ignoring it.”
Ms Frances said this was also useful for teachers.
“It’s an opportunity to tailor and target our lessons,” she said.
The first phase of the trial is beginning in Term 3 this year, and will see Corella being introduced to all secondary school teachers and leaders, including those at special schools and combined primary and secondary schools.
Meanwhile, the second phase from 2026 will see Corella provided to primary schools and Year 9 and 10 students.
Parents’ consent will be required for student participation.
Queensland now joins a host of states around the world welcoming arrival of artificial intelligence in schools, news.com.au reports. But across the globe, education systems are also wrestling with how to use the technology without undermining learning.
International bodies like UNESCO have stressed caution, warning that AI risks widening inequality and entrenching bias.
Educators in Europe and Australia have echoed those concerns, calling for professional development and ethical frameworks to ensure AI becomes a teaching aid rather than a shortcut.
