New Issue Brief from STEM Next: Afterschool Is Essential to Building AI Literacy at Scale

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Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping how people learn, work, and navigate the world. The ability to understand, evaluate, and responsibly use AI is quickly becoming a baseline skill for economic participation and informed decision-making.

Yet most efforts to build AI literacy remain narrowly focused on the classroom—leaving a critical part of the learning ecosystem underutilized.

That’s where out-of-school-time (OST) programs come in. Afterschool and summer learning environments offer flexible, trusted spaces where young people can explore AI through hands-on experiences, apply it to real-world challenges, and build the judgment needed to use these tools responsibly.

STEM Next’s new issue brief, Building AI Literacy at Scale: Why Afterschool Matters Now, makes the case for why afterschool and summer learning must be recognized as essential infrastructure in the nation’s AI literacy strategy.

Drawing from national research, a cross-sector listening tour, and early insights from STEM Next’s Opportunity AI pilot, the brief highlights a clear challenge: AI literacy efforts are expanding, but remain fragmented. Educators lack practical entry points, families are largely left out, and many young people are already using AI without guidance.

The opportunity is equally clear. Afterschool programs are uniquely positioned to deliver the kind of applied, human-centered AI learning this moment demands—combining hands-on learning with the judgment, problem-solving, and real-world application skills needed for an AI-driven workforce.

The brief outlines a national path forward, calling on leaders across sectors to expand access to afterschool programs, invest in educator capacity to deliver high-quality AI learning, and scale proven approaches through existing networks.

With leadership support from Qualcomm, STEM Next is already testing this approach through Opportunity AI—a multi-state pilot equipping afterschool educators with the tools, training, and partnerships needed to bring AI learning to life for young people.

With strong early results and a growing network of partners, the next phase is to expand this work to reach young people in all 50 states. Doing so will require coordinated investment and cross-sector partnership—and the ability to connect, equip, and scale what works across the afterschool field. STEM Next is helping lead this effort, serving as a national intermediary to bring these pieces together and translate momentum into lasting impact. 

The post New Issue Brief from STEM Next: Afterschool Is Essential to Building AI Literacy at Scale appeared first on STEM Next.

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