Queensland schools to add AI chatbot

Queensland state schools are preparing to expand access to Corella, a government-owned artificial intelligence tool, by June 2026. The Queensland government says the system is designed for teachers and students and will be available through the state education system, while 4BC reported this week that schools are set to introduce an in-house AI chatbot next month to help teachers save time. The rollout comes as Queensland’s education department publishes guidance, privacy terms and access pages for the tool. The state says the system is intended to support teaching, learning and administrative work, not replace teachers. ### What exactly is Queensland adding to schools? Corella is the Queensland Department of Education’s generative AI tool, according to the department’s login page and terms. The department describes it as its own tool, and the terms say it is a “text-based virtual assistant powered by a Large Language Model, not a real human.” The Queensland government said on May 22 that Corella is “secure” and “government-owned” software designed specifically for Queensland teachers and students. (4bc.com.au) In the same announcement, the government said state schools will be able to access the software by June 2026. ### Who is supposed to use it first? By June 2026, the system will be available to teachers, school leaders, teacher aides and students in Years 7 to 10 with parental consent, according to reporting that cited the government announcement. (corella.ai.qld.gov.au) That places the first broad school use on staff and a defined group of secondary students rather than all year levels at once. (statements.qld.gov.au) The department’s public guidance also says generative AI tools can support teachers with creating content, assisting with administrative tasks, improving operational efficiencies, designing assessment activities and providing feedback. The same page says teachers remain responsible for leading learning and helping students develop critical thinking and creativity. (opengovasia.com) ### How is the government saying teachers will use it? Queensland’s education guidance says generative AI tools can be used for lesson and resource creation, data analysis, checking for understanding and administrative support. The government’s May 22 statement said Corella forms part of a broader effort to reduce red tape in schools, with 37 actions aimed at cutting it by 25% over four years. (education.qld.gov.au) 4BC’s report framed the immediate purpose more narrowly: helping teachers save time. The station said critics worry wider classroom use could affect students’ critical thinking and social interaction, while the discussion also described AI as a secure modern encyclopedia if students first master subjects using their own thinking. (education.qld.gov.au) ### What safeguards has Queensland published? The Queensland Department of Education has published both a privacy statement and terms for Corella. The privacy statement says the department may collect usernames, email addresses, year group, school code, school region, user role, prompts entered into Corella, responses generated by Corella and feedback provided during the student trial. (4bc.com.au) The department’s broader AI guidance tells families to avoid sharing personal or sensitive information and to use secure, reputable platforms. The Corella terms also state plainly that the assistant is automated rather than human, a disclosure the department places before use. ### Where did this rollout come from? (education.qld.gov.au) Queensland has been testing AI tools in schools for more than two years. A ministerial statement from October 2023 said 500 students and 25 teachers from 10 state schools were trialling an AI teaching and learning tool called Cerego, with the government then saying the work followed principles in the national framework agreed by education ministers. (education.qld.gov.au) The department now links its school AI work to the Australian Framework for Generative Artificial Intelligence in Schools. Its current guidance says all Australian states and territories agreed that responding to the risks and opportunities of generative AI is a national education priority. (statements.qld.gov.au) ### What happens next in June? June 2026 is the date the Queensland government has attached to statewide access for Corella in state schools. The next practical steps are already visible on the department’s own sites: staff and students log in through the Corella portal, and families can review the department’s privacy statement, terms and broader AI-in-schools guidance as access expands. (statements.qld.gov.au) (education.qld.gov.au)