Beyond FIRST LEGO League: AI-era Transition, Fragmentation, and the Future of Global Educational Robotics

Abstract FIRST LEGO League (FLL) has long functioned as one of the world’s most recognizable educational robotics ecosystems, connecting classrooms, competitions, and STEM learning communities across more than 100 countries. Recent announcements regarding the redesign of FLL around interactive gameplay, wireless technologies, and AI-oriented learning systems, followed by the dissolution of the nearly 30-year partnership between FIRST and LEGO Education, signal a major transition in the global educational robotics landscape. This article examines how these developments reflect broader technological, pedagogical, and institutional shifts occurring during the AI era. The analysis explores the movement from deterministic robotics toward more interactive and coordination-oriented learning environments, the introduction of semi-cooperative gameplay structures, and emerging tensions surrounding accessibility, infrastructure, interoperability, and governance. The article further considers how the fragmentation of a long-standing educational robotics ecosystem may create both uncertainty and new opportunities for international educators and regional programs navigating increasingly divergent technological pathways.