Read This If You Are Making AI-Supported Decisions

This Framework Is Designed for Real AI Decisions

The AI Capability Framework is designed to be used at the point where real decisions about AI are being made — in teaching, research, governance, policy, and public-facing work.

If you are currently:

designing or approving AI-supported teaching, assessment, or curriculum
using AI to shape research outputs, analysis, or communication
influencing organisational or public-sector decisions
experimenting with AI in contexts where outcomes matter

then continuing without a structured capability check is itself a decision.

This Framework exists to make those decisions explicit, accountable, and defensible.

Before reading further, pause briefly:

Which AI-supported decision are you currently involved in?
Which of the six domains would you struggle to justify if questioned?
What would change if you had to document your reasoning today?

If none of these apply, the Framework may feel abstract.
If they do, you should expect it to challenge at least one current practice.

What the AI Capability Framework Is

The CloudPedagogy AI Capability Framework (2026 Edition) is a structured, six-domain model for developing practical, ethical, and strategic human–AI capability across professional contexts.

It provides a future-ready approach to understanding, using, governing, and reflecting on AI — not simply operating individual tools.

Designed for international higher education, research, and public-sector settings, the Framework is adaptable to local policy, governance structures, and cultural contexts.

Where many AI literacy models focus on awareness and responsible tool use, this Framework extends beyond literacy to support sustained, governable AI practice over time.

The Framework defines capability expectations; it does not prescribe specific tools, platforms, or system architectures.

🌱 Start Here

The Framework is most effective when applied to a specific responsibility or risk, not explored abstractly.

Choose the pathway that best fits your situation:

Making or influencing AI-supported decisions
Start with the AI Capability Self-Assessment or the Free Orientation Course to surface immediate risks and gaps.
Responsible for others’ AI use (students, staff, teams, organisations)
Begin with the Institutional Overview and Governance & Ethics Templates to establish shared guardrails.
Experimenting with AI and seeking to avoid unintended harm
Use the Reflection Toolkit and Scenario-Based Workshop Guides to test assumptions early.
Citing, adapting, or formally adopting the Framework
Review the Application Handbook and Citation & Licensing Guidance to ensure transparent use.

The Framework is intentionally flexible — but it is not neutral.
It is designed to shape judgement, not simply enable exploration.

Why This Framework Matters

AI now shapes teaching, research, communication, policy, and public service across every sector.

But AI capability is not the same as AI skill.

Where skills focus on using tools, capability focuses on how people:

understand risks, assumptions, and limitations
design purposeful human–AI partnerships
use AI creatively, critically, and responsibly
embed ethics, equity, and inclusion into decisions
govern AI-influenced processes transparently
reflect, adapt, and improve as contexts evolve

AI literacy is necessary — but not sufficient.
This Framework provides the capability layer that enables judgement, accountability, and governance over time.

How This Framework Differs from Common AI Models

Capability, not just skills or tools
Develops judgement, agency, ethics, and decision-making in real contexts.
Developmental, not checklist-based
Supports ongoing learning and renewal, not one-off compliance.
Human–AI partnership at the centre
Emphasises co-agency, role clarity, and accountability over automation-first thinking.
Ethics embedded throughout
Equity, fairness, and impact are integrated across all domains.
Designed for complex, high-stakes environments
Built for education, research, healthcare, public service, and leadership.
Open and adaptable
Platform-agnostic and licensed for responsible reuse.

Who the Framework Is For

The Framework supports capability development across:

teaching, curriculum design, and academic development
research workflows and scholarly communication
digital learning, strategy, and organisational development
governance, oversight, and ethical decision-making
policy design and public-sector innovation
accessibility, communication, and equitable practice

It supports individuals through reflective capability development, and teams and organisations through shared language, governance pathways, and strategic alignment.

The Six Domains of the AI Capability Framework

AI Awareness and Orientation
Understand how AI systems work, their benefits, limitations, and risks.
Human–AI Co-Agency
Design transparent, accountable human–AI collaborations.
Applied Practice and Innovation
Use AI for ideation, analysis, synthesis, and creation through safe experimentation.
Ethics, Equity and Impact
Embed fairness, justice, transparency, and long-term foresight into practice.
Decision-Making and Governance
Establish guardrails, oversight, and accountability for AI-influenced decisions.
Reflection, Learning and Renewal
Support continuous improvement as technologies and contexts evolve.

Applying the Framework in Practice

👉 Download the AI Capability Framework (PDF)

Free, open, and citable

The professionally formatted AI Capability Framework (2026 Edition) is available under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.

The PDF includes:

full domain definitions
developmental stage descriptors
applied examples
governance and reflective practice tools
guidance for institutional use

Version: 2026 Edition
Length: ~59 pages
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Framework Toolkits and Practice Resources

The Framework is supported by a coherent ecosystem of practical resources designed for real-world application, facilitation, and institutional use.

These resources work together — they are not standalone downloads.

They include:

core toolkits for assessment, reflection, interaction design, and governance
scenario-based materials for workshops and facilitated discussion
applied guides and handbooks for curriculum, research, leadership, and strategy
role-specific practice guides
briefing and facilitation slide templates

How to Use These Resources

Most users begin by:

reading the core Framework
using one or two toolkits tied to a live decision
applying a scenario or practice guide in context
documenting reflection, rationale, or governance outcomes

The Framework supports defensible, transparent AI-supported practice — not casual experimentation.

AI Capability Framework — Free Orientation Course

A self-paced introduction to the Framework across sectors.

You will explore each capability domain, work through cross-sector scenarios, complete reflective and ethical activities, and build a personal capability action plan.

Free for all CloudPedagogy users.

Additional Free Framework-Based Courses

Short courses applying the Framework to specific professional contexts, including:

Equity, Inclusion and Social Justice · Policy and Governance · Creative and Cultural Practice · Global and Public Health · Humanitarian Crisis Response · Climate Change and Sustainability

These courses support early capability awareness before deeper applied work.

Apply the Framework — Interactive Applications

CloudPedagogy provides a small suite of browser-based applications that translate the Framework into structured activities for reflection and design.

They support judgement and discussion at the point of real AI-supported decisions.

All applications run client-side. No data is stored or transmitted.

Available applications:

AI Capability Self-Assessment — establish a reflective baseline
Programme Mapping Tool — visualise curriculum alignment
Gaps & Risk Diagnostic — surface imbalances and exposure
Scenario Stress-Test — explore resilience under change
Capability Dashboard — view aggregate, non-identifiable patterns

Beyond core resources and tools, the Framework is also translated into role-specific and scenario-based materials (see below).

Applied Interpretation and Facilitation Resources

AI Capability Briefs — Role-Specific Guidance

Concise briefs translating the Framework into role-specific judgement and responsibility.

Designed for:

rapid orientation and briefing
governance and committee discussions
professional reflection and CPD
defensible decision-making

Scenario Library — Applying the Framework in Context

Facilitation-ready scenarios grounded in realistic professional situations.

Used for:

workshops and facilitated sessions
staff development and CPD
leadership and governance discussions
curriculum and programme design

How to Cite the AI Capability Framework (2026 Edition)

The Framework is openly available under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.

Preferred citation (concept DOI):
Wong, J. (2025). CloudPedagogy AI Capability Framework (2026 Edition). Zenodo.
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17833663

Version-specific citation (v1.2):
Wong, J. (2025). CloudPedagogy AI Capability Framework (2026 Edition) (v1.2). Zenodo.
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17873465

Licence and Use

All Framework materials are licensed under:

Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial–ShareAlike 4.0 International

You may share and adapt the materials for non-commercial use with attribution and share-alike.

For commercial licensing, institutional adoption, or consultancy enquiries:
[email protected]