There is a growing conversation in edtech about competitive advantage, or “moats,” in the age of AI. EdSolutions Partner Jay Bakhru argues that for mission-driven organizations there is a bigger question: what do we actually want education organizations competing to be best at?
1. Where do the moats move?
AI is changing what is scarce. Software, content and analysis are getting cheaper, in a market where the average district already accessed 2,982 edtech tools in 2024–25. It has never been easier to build something impressive, which is why impressive alone is becoming less of an advantage. Advantage moves toward what remains scarce: proprietary data, trusted brands, evidence of impact, distribution, customer relationships and implementation expertise.
2. Which moats actually advance the mission?
Having the organization win and having the mission win are not always the same. Jay points to Illustrative Mathematics, which shares its curriculum openly while stewarding its brand and certification. The lesson is not to abandon moats, but to choose them deliberately: what should remain an advantage, and what would create more impact if everyone had access to it?
3. What should we make abundant?
Funders and infrastructure builders, such as Learning Commons and Digital Promise’s K–12 AI Infrastructure Program, are already deciding which capabilities become shared. Those are market-design choices. Used intentionally, they can push competition toward what matters more: learning outcomes, implementation, trust and reach.
The question for the field: in the age of AI, what do we want education organizations competing to be best at, and what should we build together so they don’t have to compete on everything else?