How Icelanders are thinking about AI

Summary
This documentary short by Anthropic explores how educators, students, and citizens across Iceland are navigating artificial intelligence following a nationwide pilot program in schools. Through on-the-ground interviews in Reykjavík and Akureyri, the video examines classroom adoption, parental concerns, and cultural attitudes toward technological disruption, centered around the Icelandic philosophy of þetta reddast ("we'll figure it out").

What is shown

• [00:01] Man-on-the-street reactions from cold-water swimmers and youths discussing AI slop and unfamiliarity with the technology.
• [00:15] Business teacher Tinna and English teacher Fríða at Fjölbrautaskólinn í Garðabæ discussing teachers' initial fears of cheating and language degradation.
• [00:46] Magnús from the University of Akureyri addressing how educators and students face the "tsunami of change" together.
• [01:11] Classroom scenes of students working on laptops while teachers describe how they learned to use AI tools to generate games and learning materials.
• [02:53] Vocational training at Verkmenntaskólinn á Akureyri, showing electrical engineering teacher Friðrik describing how AI speeds up the preparation of technical drawings and interactive teaching materials.
• [03:46] Student Sigfús describing the distinction between using AI as an uncreative shortcut versus using it as an interactive tutor.
• [05:18] Parent Ingunn explaining the necessity of setting boundaries for teens who rely too quickly on AI rather than course textbooks, while remaining optimistic about guided use.
• [07:51] Akureyrarkirkja Church choir performing as participants repeat the Icelandic motto þetta reddast.

Claims & numbers

• An on-screen text card states that in late 2025, the Icelandic government launched one of the world's first AI education pilots, providing AI tools to volunteer teachers [01:02].
• Tinna and Fríða state they have been teaching together for 17 years [01:27].
• Fríða states that integrating AI does not yet save her time, as substantial effort is required to revise teaching plans [01:58].

Notable quotes

• "The current generation of both educators and students, they're in the same tsunami of change. So we have to find out new ways of doing things." — Magnús [00:46]
• "The right approach to using AI would be using it like a teacher. Not someone to do the work for you." — Sigfús [04:04]
• "Þetta reddast: we'll figure it out." — Magnús / Choral Subtitle [07:51]

Assessment
This is an official documentary-style case study showcasing societal and educational integration of AI rather than a product demonstration or benchmark reveal. No software interfaces, models, or vendor-specific platforms are actively demonstrated on screen.

Described by gemini-3.8-flash on 2026-09-30 from the video's audio and frames.