Instructure Delivers on Safe, Simple AI Promise with IgniteAI and Major Ecosystem Updates
Next wave of AI capabilities in Canvas LMS demonstrates commitment to a privacy-first, interoperable future for education
SALT LAKE CITY, Dec. 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Instructure, the leading learning ecosystem and maker of Canvas, announced a comprehensive set of updates at "New and Next," headlined by the launch of IgniteAI. The company first introduced these innovations at InstructureCon and is now delivering the first wave of features in its November Canvas release. These enhancements fulfill the strategic commitments made at InstructureCon last July to deliver a secure, open, transparent, outcomes-focused infrastructure that prepares institutions for the next phase of technology. This integrated approach ensures both pedagogical value and strict data privacy.
While the edtech market has been flooded with isolated AI point solutions that create noise and cognitive overload, Instructure is executing a strategy focused on an open, education-first, scalable ecosystem. By prioritizing interoperability, transparency and ease of use, these updates differentiate Instructure as a trusted long-term partner for institutions navigating the rapid evolution of AI.
IgniteAI Feature Updates
As institutions move from experimentation to meaningful impact with AI, Instructure is introducing new IgniteAI capabilities designed to make teaching more efficient and learning more equitable. The latest updates empower educators with intuitive tools that enhance insight, reduce workload and support consistent instructional practice.
- Discussion Insights: A new analytics-driven enhancement that surfaces patterns in student participation by highlighting engagement trends, sentiment signals and students who may need additional support. This gives instructors actionable insight without requiring manual review of every post.
- Rubric Generator: An AI-assisted tool that allows educators to generate high-quality rubrics in seconds. By analyzing assignment descriptions, learning outcomes and course context, it produces clear, customizable criteria that save instructors time and promote consistency.
"Good rubrics are essential for good grading, said Giorgio Lagna, a professor at Foothill College, who beta tested the feature. "They take time to design and refine. With IgniteAI, I draft rubrics faster. I give the assignment, prompts and sample answers. IgniteAI suggests criteria and levels I can tune. I stay in charge the whole time. IgniteAI helps me get to the good part of teaching, faster."
- IgniteAI Translations: This feature enables real-time, context-aware translation in discussions, inbox messages and announcements. It helps remove language barriers for multilingual classrooms and supports more inclusive, equitable communication across global learning communities.
Fulfilling the Promise of Trust and Transparency
Instructure creates a safe environment for innovation through its privacy-first framework. To address the black box nature of AI, Instructure has expanded its "AI Nutrition Facts" labels to include all of its AI features and encourages its partners to do the same. These labels provide transparency by clearly listing which models are in use, what data is accessed and how privacy is protected.
Key privacy and control features include:
- Closed-Loop System: AI interactions occur securely within the institution's environment; data is not shared with OpenAI or other providers or used to train external models.
- Strict Opt-In: Institutions maintain full control, enabling features at the institutional, departmental or course level.
- Transparency: AI tools are clearly marked with a consistent, easily-identifiable user experience, making it easy for users to know when and where AI is being used and encouraging better digital literacy and ethical use.
Instructure also emphasized that these advancements are designed to help educators drive toward clearly defined learning outcomes. IgniteAI is built to support the work that leads to outcomes, giving instructors tools that reinforce alignment between course objectives, assessment practices and evidence of student learning.
These developments build on the foundation previewed at InstructureCon and expanded in the November release.
Building Towards the Agentic Future
Central to today's announcement is IgniteAI, powered by AWS Bedrock. IgniteAI is not merely a chatbot; it is a secure, in-context AI solution designed to automate routine tasks such as rubric generation, content alignment and grading. This frees educators to focus on high-impact mentoring.
Preparing for the agentic phase of AI, where technology performs complex workflows on behalf of users, Instructure has introduced IgniteAI Agent. The company has been conducting early adopter programs to validate real-world scenarios and refine the workflows most valuable to educators and administrators. IgniteAI Agent is already being utilized by over 30,000 educators to streamline tasks and improve consistency across their courses.
Leveraging cutting-edge foundation models and open platform standards like Model Context Protocol (MCP), this tool brings to Canvas a native AI agent capable of automating and simplifying complex teacher and administrator workflows. Instructure also announced plans to make the IgniteAI Agent available globally worldwide by March 2026 with free access through June 30, 2026.
Pedagogy Over Automation: the LLM-Enabled Assignment
Instructure is advancing the experimental stage of the LLM-Enabled Assignment, a breakthrough capability that allows educators to embed a structured, conversational learning assistant directly into an assignment. This feature lets instructors embed authentic assessment in the natural learning process. This enables valuable feedback and opportunities for reflection, as well as insights into the learner's reasoning.
"Over the past year, we promised to build an ecosystem where AI amplifies human potential rather than replacing it," said Shiren Vijiasingam, Chief Product Officer at Instructure. "With IgniteAI and our outcomes-focused approach, we are delivering on that promise. We are moving beyond generic creation to true in-context educator support, including the industry-leading Ignite AI Agent capable of managing any educational workflow. All while giving institutions and educators the 'Nutrition Facts' they need to build confidence and trust the technology in their classrooms to ultimately drive towards learning outcomes."
About Instructure
Instructure is shaping the future of learning by delivering a future-ready ecosystem that helps learners thrive in tomorrow's landscape. Our vision is to drive a future where education technology seamlessly amplifies human potential, empowering people to excel in a perpetually changing world. Instructure is setting potential in motion by connecting educators, institutions and learners across K–12, higher education and the workforce—enhancing experiences at every age, every stage and every pivotal transition. Discover more at Instructure.com.
CONTACT
Brian Watkins
Corporate Communications
Instructure
(801) 658-7525
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/instructure-delivers-on-safe-simple-ai-promise-with-igniteai-and-major-ecosystem-updates-302638807.html
SOURCE Instructure