The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe has adopted Recommendation CM/Rec(2026)12 on Artificial Intelligence (AI) Literacy dedicated to helping everyone – pupils, students, teachers, parents, workers and citizens of all ages – understand artificial intelligence, use it responsibly and recognise where it can threaten human rights, democracy and the rule of law.
Prepared by the Steering Committee for Education (CDEDU) 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.
The Recommendation defines AI not simply as a technology but as a sociotechnical phenomenon: the systems themselves, but also the people, institutions, policies and social practices that decide how they are designed and used. AI literacy, on this view, means understanding AI's effects on society, not just knowing how the tools work.
This is what sets the Recommendation apart from AI literacy frameworks focused mainly on technical skills. It reflects the Council of Europe's long-standing conviction that education is part of the infrastructure of democracy.
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 encompassing the human, technological and practical dimensions of AI.
Particular weight is given to the human dimension: 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.
This focus distinguishes the Recommendation from AI literacy frameworks centred mainly on technical skills, and reflects the Council of Europe's view of education as a key component of democratic infrastructure.
Seven operative recommendations grouped under governance, curricula, teaching and assessment, professional development, higher education and research, and public awareness will guide member states in turning these principles into policy and practice in classrooms, universities and society at large.
The Education Department will support member states in implementing the Recommendation, building on its existing work on AI and education and on the development of practical tools for policy makers and educators.
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