For the first time in its history, the International Artificial Intelligence in Education (IAIED) Society will be led by an Asian woman — and she is Filipino. Dr. Maria Mercedes "Didith" T. Rodrigo of Ateneo de Manila University was elected to the presidency of the organization, the university announced in a press release dated October 15, 2026.
A Historic Election
Ateneo de Manila University described the election as a milestone for both the institution and the Philippines. Dr. Rodrigo will serve as IAIED Society president from 2027 to 2029, according to the university's Research Communications Section.
The IAIED Society, according to Ateneo, draws its membership from 40 countries and counts over 1,500 researchers working at the crossroads of computer science, education, and psychology. Member institutions include Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pennsylvania, University College London, and the University of Hong Kong.
About Dr. Rodrigo
Dr. Rodrigo holds a professorial post in Ateneo de Manila University's Department of Information Systems and Computer Science. She also heads the university's Laboratory for the Learning Sciences and co-heads the Ateneo Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality Lab.
Her scholarly work covers AI in education, learning analytics, and educational games. A central thread in her research, according to Ateneo, is AI and equity — examining how teachers, learners, and schools in countries like the Philippines can realistically benefit from artificial intelligence tools.
Ateneo noted that Dr. Rodrigo has been an active member of the IAIED Society since 2007, giving her nearly two decades of engagement with the international research community. She views the presidency, the university said, as a chance to give back to an organization that has significantly shaped her career.
Research on AI in Philippine Public Classrooms
Much of Dr. Rodrigo's recent work has focused on how AI tools perform in real Philippine school environments. In 2024, she and co-researcher May Marie P. Talandron-Felipe conducted a study in partnership with the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2), according to the Ateneo press release.
The study involved interviews with 48 Philippine public-school teachers. Ateneo reported that while the teachers expressed genuine interest in using AI tools, they also pointed to significant barriers: limited familiarity with how to operate such tools, inadequate equipment in their schools, and poor internet connectivity.
Based on their findings, Rodrigo and Talandron-Felipe recommended sustained teacher training, access to appropriate technology, and the preservation of human judgment in key educational decisions — steps the Ateneo press release described as essential to making AI viable in resource-constrained classrooms.
Leading a Global Network
The IAIED Society, as described by Ateneo, brings together researchers and developers focused on AI-based learning tools and environments designed to support students, educators, and educational institutions worldwide.
Her term begins in 2027. Ateneo says she will bring Philippine expertise in AI and educational equity to international efforts to improve learning, support teachers, and help under-resourced schools benefit from emerging technologies.
By the Numbers
- 1,500+ members in the IAIED Society
- 40 countries represented in the society's membership
- 48 Philippine public-school teachers interviewed in the 2024 EDCOM 2 study
- 2007 — the year Dr. Rodrigo first joined the IAIED Society
- 2027–2029 — her term as IAIED Society president
Why This Matters
According to Ateneo de Manila University, Dr. Rodrigo's election places a Filipino researcher at the head of an international body with members spanning 40 countries. Her ongoing research directly addresses the gap between AI's potential and the practical obstacles facing under-resourced schools — constraints that her 2024 interviews with public-school teachers brought into documented focus.
Source: Ateneo de Manila University Research Communications Section
Photo: Ateneo de Manila University (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)