The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into school education systems has accelerated globally, driven by promises of personalization, efficiency, and scale. However, the rapid adoption of AI has raised significant concerns regarding equity, transparency, data protection, teacher autonomy, and child rights (Williamson, 2017; UNESCO, 2021). This review article examines AI in school education through a maturity framework, comparing governance approaches across countries with a particular focus on India. It situates AI-enabled education alongside non-AI and human-centered educational practices, arguing that technological sophistication alone does not constitute progress (Biesta, 2010). Drawing on international norms such as UNESCO’s human-centered AI principles and OECD governance frameworks, the article highlights the risks in privatization, surveillance, and inequality, while proposing a public-interest, rights-based pathway for AI use in education.