The United Nations (UN) called for tighter rules on the use of AI tools, particularly ChatGPT in classrooms, extending to the limitation of their use among older children.
UNESCO cautioned that public authorities are still unprepared to face the ethical consequences of the implementation of “generative” Artificial Intelligence programs in the academic setting.
The concern, per the Paris-based body, boils down to how over-reliance on AI tools instead of teachers could affect children emotionally while leaving them susceptible to manipulation.
UNESCO’s Audrey Azoulay said that while generative AI poses a “tremendous opportunity for human development,” she fears that it can also produce “harm and prejudice.”
Additionally, she claims that such a technology cannot be incorporated into education “without public engagement, and the necessary safeguards and regulations from governments.”
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Despite being in development for years, generative AI has only seen an influx in recent years. In 2022, in particular, as ChatGPT showcased its ability to produce high-quality essays and other creative works with only the briefest prompts.
Among probable implications of the use of generative AI in schools include cheating and plagiarism.
Amid the concern with the proliferation of AI tools, investors have poured money into the technology, eyeing education as a potentially lucrative market.
Although UNESCO acknowledges the benefits of AI among special needs children, it claims that it is only safe to use and be effective “if teachers, learners, and researchers helped to design them and governments regulated their use.”
A minimum age of 13 is recommended by the guidance, citing the age used by ChatGPT according to US legislation.