Submission + - UNESCO Calls 'Whoa!' as Tech Giants Unite to Push AI Into Classrooms
theodp writes: On Thursday, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) called on governments to regulate the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) in education and research, including age limits for users. UNESCO's release of its 44-page Guidance for Generative AI in Education and Research came the day after its release of An Ed-Tech Tragedy?, a 655-page report that found overreliance on remote learning technology during the pandemic led to 'staggering' education inequality around the world.
“Generative AI can be a tremendous opportunity for human development, but it can also cause harm and prejudice,” UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay said in a news release. "It cannot be integrated into education without public engagement, and the necessary safeguards and regulations from governments. This UNESCO Guidance will help policymakers and teachers best navigate the potential of AI for the primary interest of learners.”
The release of the cautionary UNESCO reports urging restraint on technology-centric education comes as tech-backed nonprofits and online K-12 learning providers Code.org and Khan Academy have partnered with Microsoft, OpenAI, Amazon, and Meta on TeachAI, a full speed ahead initiative with the goal of "empowering educators to teach with AI and about AI." All six of these private sector organizations earned mentions in the first UNESCO report for their control of or influence on public education. The initiative's new online learning series AI 101 for Teachers calls on teachers to "discover the groundbreaking world of artificial intelligence (AI) and its transformative potential in education," including using AI to create lesson plans/quizzes, asking AI to be a direct instructor/tutor, and leveraging AI for student assessment.
On a separate note, why does the UI for transforming learning with Generative AI in 2023 look like the UI for a mainframe text Adventure game from 1974?
“Generative AI can be a tremendous opportunity for human development, but it can also cause harm and prejudice,” UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay said in a news release. "It cannot be integrated into education without public engagement, and the necessary safeguards and regulations from governments. This UNESCO Guidance will help policymakers and teachers best navigate the potential of AI for the primary interest of learners.”
The release of the cautionary UNESCO reports urging restraint on technology-centric education comes as tech-backed nonprofits and online K-12 learning providers Code.org and Khan Academy have partnered with Microsoft, OpenAI, Amazon, and Meta on TeachAI, a full speed ahead initiative with the goal of "empowering educators to teach with AI and about AI." All six of these private sector organizations earned mentions in the first UNESCO report for their control of or influence on public education. The initiative's new online learning series AI 101 for Teachers calls on teachers to "discover the groundbreaking world of artificial intelligence (AI) and its transformative potential in education," including using AI to create lesson plans/quizzes, asking AI to be a direct instructor/tutor, and leveraging AI for student assessment.
On a separate note, why does the UI for transforming learning with Generative AI in 2023 look like the UI for a mainframe text Adventure game from 1974?