EdTech AI Arms Race: How the "Big 3" are Shaping the Future

Everyone's talking about AI in EdTech, but what really matters is what gets deployed, adopted, and changes institutional buying habits. At this year’s major EdTech events—Anthology Together, D2L Fusion, and InstructureCon—three industry giants outlined notably different paths forward. Here’s a clear breakdown of what happened, why it matters, and what it means for everyone in the EdTech ecosystem.

Anthology: Practical AI with Strategic Vision

Anthology Inc has moved beyond AI promises, delivering tangible results with its Anthology Virtual Assistant (AVA). Features like the rubric-builder, automated feedback assistant, and PDF accessibility fixer are already enhancing instructor productivity and student engagement. Kentucky Community & Technical College System, for instance, reported measurable time savings and improved educational outcomes.

Anthology is also navigating a significant financial restructuring aimed at solidifying its long-term stability and market position.

What This Means for Institutions:

• Increased focus on comprehensive AI features included in standard packages.

• Heightened attention to financial transparency and vendor stability.

D2L: Enhanced AI Features with Flexible Pricing

At Fusion 2025, D2L confidently expanded its AI capabilities through the Lumi suite—covering Chat, Feedback, and Insights. These tools are designed to support instructors and boost student success through personalized AI-driven assistance and analytics.

D2L introduced an à-la-carte pricing model for these features, allowing institutions to select and pay only for the modules they need. This provides flexibility, though it may require careful budget planning.

D2L is also strategically expanding its reach into corporate and association sectors, appealing to institutions seeking comprehensive solutions for both traditional and workforce education.

What This Means for Institutions:

• Clear expectations for demonstrating ROI from AI module investments.

• Growing influence of non-degree and workforce education units in platform decisions.

Instructure: Ambitious AI Innovation with an Evolving Timeline

Instructure presented a compelling and ambitious AI vision with IgniteAI at InstructureCon. IgniteAI promises an innovative "agentic" AI chatbot capable of seamlessly managing interactions across more than 500 Canvas APIs and integrating with OpenAI to support student learning.

The innovative nature of IgniteAI is promising, though the precise timelines and phased releases remain in development. Institutions are encouraged to engage in early pilot opportunities and to keep informed about ongoing developments to assess fit and readiness.

What This Means for Institutions:

• Institutions will benefit from actively participating in early pilots and feedback sessions.

• Growing interest in modular AI solutions alongside integrated platform offerings.

How the Broader EdTech Community Can Adapt

• Emphasise Outcomes, Not Features: Showcase measurable impacts like time savings, improved student success rates, or revenue growth to validate AI solutions.

• Seamless Integration: Provide solutions that smoothly integrate with major EdTech AI ecosystems through standardised APIs.

• Highlight Financial Strength Early: Clearly communicate financial health indicators to reassure institutions concerned with vendor stability.

• Transparent Pricing: Maintain clear, predictable pricing models to support institutional budgeting processes.

TL;DR:

• Anthology delivers practical, integrated AI solutions with strategic financial restructuring.

• D2L introduces flexible pricing and strong AI enhancements, aligning with institutional ROI demands.

• Instructure showcases ambitious AI innovation, inviting institutions to early pilots for informed adoption.

• Institutions will increasingly prioritise demonstrable ROI, financial transparency, and seamless integrations.

Final Thoughts

The key takeaway from this year's conferences is clear: AI has become foundational in institutional technology decisions. Successful engagement in this market requires demonstrating clear value, financial stability, and alignment with evolving educational models and lifelong learning trends.

Subscribe! Stay tuned for further developments as we track these strategic shifts!