More than 400 Augustinian teachers from different parts of Spain took part in the opening of the 32nd Augustinian Education Forum 2026, a well-established space for training and pedagogical reflection that this year is held under the motto of an “AI with a teacher’s heart”.
The opening session was marked by the words of Sr Ana María Guantay, Superior General of the Augustinian Missionary Sisters, who stressed that the present moment represents “a very valuable opportunity” for Augustinian education. In a cultural context deeply shaped by artificial intelligence and technological acceleration, the religious sister invited those present not to lose the identity or spiritual depth that characterises the charism.
An opportunity to live the charism in our time
Sr Ana María insisted that Augustinian spirituality has particular relevance in today’s context. Far from being a legacy of the past, it is a proposal capable of engaging in dialogue with the challenges of digital culture.
“Interiority, the capacity for encounter, and authentic relationships are central elements that we cannot afford to waste,” she expressed in her address. In an environment that encourages constant outwardness and distraction, the thought of Saint Augustine offers an anchor: to return inward to find meaning and, from there, to serve others.
Artificial intelligence, far from being seen as a threat, is presented as a provocation and a challenge. It prompts us to share the richness of the charism more clearly; it challenges us to integrate technology without losing our roots. For the religious sister, this is an exciting time that calls for entering into today’s cultural dynamics, not from resistance, but from proposal.
Interiority in the face of technological outwardness
One of the key themes of the opening was the tension between hyperconnectivity and the need for depth. Technology amplifies communication, but it can also generate superficiality.
In this context, Augustinian spirituality acts as an organising principle. It is not a matter of setting interiority against technology, but of giving innovation a solid root. Only in this way—she emphasised—will new generations be able to live “rooted in this time”, happy and with purpose.
Augustinian education is therefore called to integrate artificial intelligence and holistic formation. It is not enough to learn how to use digital tools; it is necessary to educate conscience, discernment, and ethical responsibility.
Teachers and learners: a mutual dynamic
Sr Ana María placed special emphasis on a decisive pedagogical aspect: the relationship between teachers and students in the age of AI. “We are not going to do it on our own,” she stated, highlighting the need to walk alongside students.
The traditional dynamic of teacher and disciple is being reshaped in terms of reciprocity. The educator remains a point of reference, but is also recognised as a learner in an environment that evolves rapidly. This attitude of pedagogical humility strengthens the community character proper to the Augustinian charism.
We are teachers of one another. In digital culture, the construction of knowledge is more collaborative than ever, and the educational community becomes a space of shared learning, where technology and humanism are in constant dialogue.
Educating with purpose in the age of AI
The opening of the 32nd Augustinian Education Forum 2026 was not only the start of a training programme, but a statement of intent. Integrating artificial intelligence and Augustinian spirituality requires grounding, discernment, and heart.
Not sharing one’s own charism—she noted—would mean missing the opportunity to be authentically Augustinian men and women in our time. Education, in the Augustinian key, seeks for new generations to live with purpose, depth, and openness to others.
In the face of technological challenges, the response is not withdrawal, but critical and hopeful integration. Artificial intelligence can be a powerful tool; interiority, encounter, and community ensure that its use is truly human.
The Augustinian Forum 2026 thus begins with a clear horizon: humanising technology from the heart of the charism.
