The future of learning is one of the most important – and investable – shifts now underway
For many secondary schools, managing pupils’ phone use is one of the biggest challenges they face. Some ask students to bag up devices at the start of the day. Others try to block wi-fi or use content filters.
But none of these methods are watertight – pupils will always find ways to circumvent the system. And the result is growing frustration among teachers and parents.
Digital challenges require digital solutions
There are companies tackling this in a smart way – by combining mobile device management with control at the data level. One business in particular is using a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) model to restrict access based on time and context.
That means schools – and even parents – can block or allow data use depending on when and where the device is being used. No more trying to enforce behaviour with signs and rules. This approach simply cuts off access to distraction when it’s not needed.
And unlike traditional content filters, this approach limits access at the network level – making it far harder for students to get around.
The demand for this kind of preventative solution is self-evident. Schools want it. Parents are willing to pay for it. And as our lives become ever more digitally embedded, it’s going to be essential that young people – and the adults guiding them – have better tools to manage how, when and why we use technology.
Education in an AI-first world
There’s a deeper point here. Whether we like it or not, the idea of a screen-free existence is fading fast. Kids are going to need to be on devices more, not less – because that’s how the world works. If we accept that as a starting point, we also must accept that education systems need to change with it.
In a world where artificial intelligence (AI) already has most of the facts, the value of human learning shifts from memorising information to doing something meaningful with it.
It’s not about rote knowledge anymore, it’s about ‘creative synthesis’ – asking better questions, combining ideas, making judgements. That shift reshapes what we should be teaching, how classrooms are designed and what tools we give students and teachers to succeed.
Which is why we see education technology as such a compelling investment area. This is not just about tools for schools. It’s about rethinking the infrastructure of learning in a way that prepares young people for the reality of AI-augmented life and work.
A parallel to the industrial revolution
This shift isn’t minor. It’s on a scale closer to the industrial revolution than to something like email. With email, we were already using computers – it was just a new function.
But AI changes the nature of work itself. Some roles will disappear. Others will be created. Productivity will rise, but the transition won’t be smooth.
Just like in the early industrial era, we may see a period of dislocation – jobs that vanish before the new ones emerge. That’s not just an economic problem, it’s a societal one. Education is going to be key to helping people navigate it.
And it’s not just students who will need support. Teachers, too, will need better digital tools – not just to manage devices, but to deliver lessons, monitor progress and personalise learning in smarter, more scalable ways.
The classroom of five years from now won’t look like today’s. And the companies that help bridge that gap are going to be increasingly valuable.
Teaching people how to think – not just what to learn
In the background of all this is another subtle but growing issue: trust in information. As AI-generated content becomes more sophisticated, and as bots increasingly shape what people see and believe online, education’s role in developing critical thinking becomes more important than ever.
It’s no longer enough to find the right answer. You have to ask whether the answer is coming from a source you trust. That kind of mental filtering – the ability to spot falsehoods, bias or manipulation – is going to become one of the most important skills we can teach.
And it’s not easy. It requires digital literacy, self-awareness and the confidence to question what you’re shown. Few education systems are built to deliver that. But the demand is growing.
The investment opportunity
All of this points to a major moment of change – and one that we believe presents a significant opportunity for investors like us. The intersection of education, AI and behavioural design is going to be one of the most important frontiers of the next decade.
There’s real, growing demand from parents, schools and policymakers. The infrastructure needs updating. And the technology now exists to do it.
As interaction with technology becomes more intelligent, the systems we use to teach and guide that interaction need to keep up. Education has to evolve, because if it doesn’t, we risk leaving the next generation wholly unprepared for the world they will inherit.
Seb Wallace is head of Triple Point Ventures. The views expressed above should not be taken as investment advice.