As AI becomes a bigger part of education, experts are discussing both the benefits and the risks. At a recent panel, several leaders in education and technology shared their thoughts on how to use AI safely and effectively in schools.
Helping Schools Use AI the Right Way
Sian Cooke, who leads the Department for Education’s work on education technology in the U.K., said the government has released new guides to help schools use AI in smart and safe ways. She also pointed out a common issue: many schools still struggle with basic tech needs like laptops and good Wi-Fi.
“Teachers already have so much on their plates. They want tools that just work,” she said.
Cooke believes AI can help teachers by saving them time and letting them focus on what they do best, teaching. But she also warned that not all students have equal access to technology, which could increase the gap between those with and without the right tools.
Professor Manolis Mavrikis, an expert in AI in education at University College London, said that debates around tech in education are becoming very divided. Even when tech is helpful, people argue about things like screen time.
Mavrikis believes there’s growing proof that AI can help in classrooms. But he also warned that students will use AI whether schools do or not. If teachers don’t guide them, students may use AI in lazy or harmful ways.
Guadalupe Sampedro, a partner at the Cooley law firm, said the laws around AI are hard to apply because the technology is moving so fast. “The rules are already complex,” she said, and training AI tools for children is even harder because of strict data protection laws. Some companies are using “synthetic data” to get around this, but it’s still a challenge.
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She also mentioned that Europe’s data laws like GDPR make things tough, while the U.S. doesn’t have as many clear rules, calling it “a bit of a Wild West.”
Joshua Wohle, CEO of the learning platform Mindstone, said that AI tools are already being used in education and the workplace. Trying to block them isn’t the answer, he said, because people might start using them without proper safety or rules.
“If workers feel like they can’t use AI at work, they’ll just use it on their accounts, which isn’t safe,” he warned.
Wohle also said AI only works well when it has good data. “If you’re too scared to give AI any data, it won’t be helpful,” he explained.
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