JA Global AI Ambassadors Move From Experimentation to Impact

March 3, 2026

Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape how people learn, work, and build businesses. Across the JA network, educators and innovators are exploring how this technology can strengthen entrepreneurship and work readiness education.

In 2025, JA Worldwide launched the Global AI Ambassadors program to harness that momentum. The initiative brought together educators from across the JA network to experiment with new ways to integrate AI into JA learning experiences. Less than a year later, their work has begun to influence how JA prepares young people for an AI-driven world.

A Global Call for Innovation

In June 2025, JA Worldwide invited JA locations to propose ideas for integrating AI into JA learning experiences. The response reflected strong global interest with 40 proposals coming in from more than 30 JA locations across the six regions and submissions from regional offices.

After a competitive selection process, JA Worldwide selected 15 Global AI Ambassadors to form the inaugural cohort. The group includes educators and innovators from Europe, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Africa, Asia Pacific, the Americas, and the United States.

A Collaborative Learning Journey

Each Global AI Ambassador focused on strengthening either entrepreneurship education or work readiness programs, two areas where AI continues to transform skills, careers, and industries. First, they spent several months exploring how AI could enhance JA’s experiential learning model. Through weekly sessions and peer collaboration, the cohort examined AI tools, discussed ethical considerations, and redesigned existing JA learning experiences. Experts guided conversations on curriculum design, responsible AI use, and emerging applications in education.

The group then moved into the pilot phase, testing their redesigned learning experiences with students between October 2025 and March 2026. Throughout the process, AI Ambassadors shifted from participants exploring new technology to leaders shaping the next generation of JA learning.

Reimagining JA Learning Experiences

Across the cohort, ambassadors redesigned several JA learning experiences to incorporate artificial intelligence in practical ways.

These included . . .

• JA Company Program

• Innovation Camps

• JA Career Success

• Future of Work programs

• LEAD Camp

• JA Plan Your Future

• Youth employment programs

Rather than treating AI as a shortcut, ambassadors focused on helping students think critically, ask stronger questions, and apply AI tools responsibly. Their work reflects a shared philosophy: artificial intelligence should amplify human creativity and learning rather than replace it.

Pilots Driving Real-World Learning

Pilot projects across the network demonstrated how AI can strengthen both entrepreneurship education and career preparation.

• At Prestasi Junior Indonesia, Retna Widiyasrini developed JA AIDEA, a mini-curriculum that helps educators integrate AI into the JA Company Program. The curriculum introduces students to AI fundamentals, guides them through business applications, and encourages ethical and responsible use of generative AI tools.

• At JA Germany, Asli Karabenli led a series of AI workshops connected to the JA Company Program. Two sessions have already launched in Berlin and now sit within the Berlin Senate’s funding framework, while educators also recognize the workshops as professional development opportunities.

• At Junior Achievement Ireland, Aoibheann Doyle piloted an AI-powered session within the JA Career Success program. During the 75-minute workshop, students explored career pathways, practiced interview skills, and built foundational AI literacy. Early feedback showed strong results, with many participants reporting a stronger understanding of the world of work.

Across these pilots, ambassadors introduced students to tools such as ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, Canva AI, and Perplexity while encouraging ethical use, data awareness, and critical thinking.

Sharing Insights Across the JA Network

The ambassadors also shared their work at the JA Global Leadership Conference (GLC) in Rio de Janeiro in November 2025, where JA leaders from around the world explored the new AI-powered learning experiences. Through masterclasses, panel discussions, and interactive demonstrations, ambassadors showcased how AI can strengthen experiential learning while remaining grounded in JA’s core approach to entrepreneurship and work readiness education. These sessions offered a preview of how AI-powered learning could expand across the global JA network.

Preparing Young People for an AI-Driven Economy

AI already reshapes industries around the world. Projections suggest that by 2030 AI could create 170 million new jobs while displacing 92 million existing roles, making digital literacy and adaptability essential skills for the next generation.

Through the Global AI Ambassadors program, JA educators have begun embedding those skills directly into entrepreneurship and career readiness learning experiences. The goal goes beyond teaching students how to use technology. The initiative helps young people understand how to question, shape, and apply AI responsibly as they build their futures.

Looking Ahead

Building on the success of the first cohort, JA Worldwide plans to expand the Global AI Ambassadors initiative in 2026. The next phase will include three cohorts: a global cohort focused on underserved communities, a regional cohort in the Americas focused on work readiness, and a European cohort focused on entrepreneurship. Together, these cohorts will continue exploring how artificial intelligence can expand opportunity, strengthen entrepreneurship education, and prepare young people for a rapidly evolving economy. JA staff around the world are encouraged to learn more on OneJA, where they can also find the application (or request the application link below).

The first Global AI Ambassadors have already taken the first step. Their work demonstrates how educators across the JA network can harness emerging technologies to empower the next generation of innovators and leaders.