AI Textbooks Downgraded to 'Materials': Application Rate Expected to Plummet to 2-3%

Basis for Government Financial Support Disappears
Subscription Fees in the 50,000 Won Range Unavoidably Rising to 100,000 Won
"AI Educational Content Will Only Be Accessible Through Private Education"

With the status of the AI Digital Textbook (AIDT) downgraded from "textbook" to "teaching material," it is expected that the application rate for AI textbooks in the upcoming second semester will drop to the 2-3% range. Since the first implementation in the first semester of this year, the adoption of AI textbooks has been voluntary, so even as teaching materials, their use will still depend on the discretion of each school principal, meaning there is no significant change in this regard. However, once they are classified as teaching materials, government financial support will no longer be available, increasing the subscription cost burden for schools that had planned to use AI textbooks. Confusion is expected, especially at schools that applied for AI textbooks before the summer break, when they were still considered "textbooks."

Yonhap News Agency

On August 5, the Ministry of Education held a council with provincial and metropolitan education offices regarding AIDT and decided to pursue follow-up measures reflecting feedback from the field. A Ministry of Education official stated, "We plan to discuss the selection and contracting of AI textbooks at the working level," and added, "We will also discuss support measures for schools that wish to continue using existing AI textbooks as teaching materials."

However, education development companies and publishers that have spent the past year developing AI textbooks, trusting the government, could not hide their sense of frustration. They unanimously predicted that the application rate for AI textbooks would plummet to single digits as early as next semester. Park Jeong-gwa, CEO of Chunjae Textbook, said, "At most, it will be in the 3% range." He lamented, "When they were classified as textbooks, the government subsidized subscription fees, so the application rate was at least 32%. But now that they are teaching materials and the support is cut off, which school would pay out of pocket to use them?"

The subscription fee for the 76 types of AI textbooks introduced this year ranges from 50,000 to 90,000 won per year. According to the Ministry of Education's announcement, the minimum price including cloud service fees is 52,500 won, and the maximum is 90,500 won. When AI textbooks had legal status as textbooks, the Ministry of Education and local education offices provided budget support, but as teaching materials, the legal basis for government funding disappears and schools must bear the costs themselves. Even the current subscription fee is a burden, but it is expected that the cost will rise further if they become teaching materials. Companies say that the current subscription fee of around 50,000 won was possible because the government subsidized about 50%, and if classified as teaching materials, the fee could rise to nearly 100,000 won. In this case, the industry believes it will be virtually impossible for schools to use AI textbooks. They are preparing to file a constitutional petition, administrative lawsuits, and claims for damages against the government.

Hwang Geunsik, Chair of the Textbook Development Committee, criticized, "Is it right to conclude that there is 'no effect' and discard AI textbooks even before their effectiveness is proven?" He continued, "I cannot agree with the ruling party lawmakers' claim that AI textbooks widen the academic achievement gap." He pointed out, "Because they were textbooks, everyone could access AI educational content without financial burden, but from now on, such content will only be available in the private education market, which will inevitably lead to further polarization."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.