Technologist Elon Musk and Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele have announced a partnership to revolutionize the Central American country’s education system through artificial intelligence.

Touted as “the world’s first nationwide AI education program,” Musk and Bukele said Dec. 11 they will deploy Grok, Musk’s AI program, to more than 5,000 public schools over the next two years, offering personalized learning to more than 1 million students.

“This initiative will create adaptive, curriculum-aligned tutoring that adjusts to each student’s pace, preferences, and mastery level – ensuring every child, from urban centers to rural communities, receives world-class education tailored to their needs,” reads a release from xAI, which runs Grok.

“By co-developing this system with El Salvador, we’ll generate new methodologies, datasets, and frameworks to guide responsible AI use in classrooms globally, with a focus on local contexts, safety, and human-centered impact.”

Musk said the arrangement would put “the most advanced AI directly in the hands of an entire generation. El Salvador isn’t waiting for the future of education – they’re building it with xAI.”

His company hopes the technology will “accelerate learning at scale, bridging educational gaps, and fostering innovation that benefits humanity.” On a larger scale, it could change “how nations build knowledge for generations to come.”

Bukele, who became president in 2019, is known for making bold moves to dramatically lower El Salvador’s crime rate, which has fallen from one of the worst to one of the safest countries in the Western Hemisphere.

He also has embraced cryptocurrency, and last month announced a partnership with Google to provide residents free virtual medical appointments with doctors assisted by AI, the Associated Press reported.

“El Salvador doesn’t just wait for the future to happen; we build it,” Bukele said in the release. “From establishing the global standard in security to now pioneering AI-driven education, El Salvador proves that nations can leapfrog directly to the top through bold policy and strategic vision.”

He called his country “a testbed for innovation” and said the partnership “is destined to deliver something rather extraordinary for all of humanity.”

The technology is designed to empower teachers, not replace them, the release said.

Although controversial, AI has proven successful at enhancing student learning in some settings.

Alpha School, Texas-based but expanding nationally, has achieved superior results with its AI tutor, where students learn just two hours per day and then participate in enrichment projects. Efforts are under way to make that technology available to the masses for free.