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One of the most effective ways to begin integrating AI into day-to-day teaching and IT operations is to build on the vendors and devices your district already knows and trusts. In this blog, we highlight native AI tools from our established partners and share practical insights from OETC member advisors on how these solutions can empower educators, streamline management, and support technology leaders across K-12 and higher education.
Virtual Assistants in Enterprise Software & Computing
Google for Education
Google Workspace for Education provides complimentary access to two of the three education-focused AI tools for students, faculty, and staff: Gemini for Education and NotebookLM. Gemini for Education is similar to the standard Gemini available for all users; however, data provided by schools in Gemini for Education is not used by Google. On Gemini for Education, students and educators can have sessions of guided learning, deep research, and generate images or videos based on text prompts.
NotebookLM is similar to Gemini for Education, but it focuses in on key, user-provided resources to conduct in-depth research about specific topics. From there, students and teachers can create study materials such as flashcards, audio/video overviews, presentations, and even quizzes about specific topics.
Institutions with the Google AI Pro for Education upgrade package also have access to Gemini in the Classroom, which allows educators to directly engage with Gemini for Education without switching tabs.
Microsoft Copilot in education
Copilot integrates with Microsoft 365 products such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and Microsoft Teams, along with the Microsoft Edge browser. It provides in-app assistance in Word through real-time spelling and grammar checks with additional suggestions for clarity, analyzes and predicts data in Excel, and captures meeting summaries in Teams. Additionally, in the Copilot app, teachers can create lesson plans and assignments and automate administrative tasks. Students can utilize “Study and Learn” agents for personalized academic support or generate study guides, flashcards, and summaries when reviewing material.
Adobe
Adobe provides different plans for K-12 and higher education. The primary difference between K-12 and Higher Education licensing centers is safety compliance and access. For K-12 institutions, Adobe prioritizes COPPA compliance, notably filtering out inappropriate content and limiting the images available to ensure a safe environment for younger students. While Higher Education licensing mirrors the broader commercial structure, K-12 access to generative AI is more recent. While it was already available for higher education, Adobe Firefly features were only unveiled for K-12 in late 2025.
Adobe’s educational AI suite is powered by three main technologies: Firefly, Sensei, and Acrobat AI Assistant. Adobe Firefly serves as the generative AI engine for creating images and art. Adobe Sensei focuses on workflow automation, such as autofilling signature and form fields in Adobe Acrobat Sign Enterprise. Finally, Adobe Acrobat AI Assistant aids in document management by summarizing long documents and quickly locating key information for students and faculty.
Access to Adobe’s AI tools is determined by the specific license type. Shared Device Enterprise Licenses do not include AI capabilities. To utilize AI features, institutions must use Named User Licenses, which operate on a credit system. Users are allotted a set number of "Generative Credits" per month to use tools like Firefly, with options available for both standard and premium tiers depending on the volume of generation needed.
Freshworks
Freshworks features the "Freddy AI" suite as a key feature behind its ITSM platform, emphasizing a "people-first" approach that requires minimal setup. The suite includes Freddy AI Copilot, which acts as a constant assistant for agents by drafting responses, summarizing lengthy ticket threads, and generating help articles from resolved queries. It also supports admins by automatically classifying and routing tickets based on historical data.
Additionally, the Freddy AI Agent serves as a self-service bot that efficiently addresses employee and student queries around the clock through platforms like Microsoft Teams and Slack, operating without the need for human intervention. Meanwhile, Freddy AI Insights delivers proactive analytics, allowing organizations to identify potential major incidents or service bottlenecks before they escalate into serious issues.
IncidentIQ
IncidentIQ offers several AI integrations to streamline K-12 school management. The platform features ticket and workflow automation that utilizes rule-based systems to efficiently route tickets by device type, location, and issue category. AI-driven logic aids in spare pool management by predicting loaner device availability and tracking students with frequent damage rates. Recent updates emphasize "Agentic AI" capabilities, enabling autonomous task execution, proactive assistance, and natural language interactions in Help Desk and IT Asset Management. Additionally, it integrates data from SIS and MDM systems to auto-populate tickets, minimizing manual entry for agents.
Conclusion
The integration of AI technologies in educational settings presents a transformative opportunity for school districts to enhance teaching and learning experiences. By leveraging trusted vendors and innovative tools, such as interactive displays, cybersecurity solutions, and filtering software, CIOs can create inclusive, engaging, and personalized learning environments for all students. As we've seen through the insights from our member advisors and the featured technologies, these AI integrations not only streamline educational processes but also empower educators to meet the diverse needs of their classrooms more effectively.
