IGF 2023 Lightning Talk #10 AI in education: the future or a storm in a glass?

Time
Sunday, 8th October, 2023 (09:20 UTC) - Sunday, 8th October, 2023 (09:50 UTC)
Room
SC – Room H
Subtheme

Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Emerging Technologies
Chat GPT, Generative AI, and Machine Learning

Theme
AI & Emerging Technologies

Coordination Center for TLD .RU
Andrey Aleinikov - The Coordination Center for TLD .RU/.РФ, Russia Pavel Pozdnyakov - The Coordination Center for TLD .RU/.РФ, Russia Arevik Martirosyan - The International Information Security School

Speakers

Pavel Pozdnyakov - The Coordination Center for TLD .RU/.РФ, Russia 

Onsite Moderator

Andrey Aleinikov - The Coordination Center for TLD .RU/.РФ, Russia

Online Moderator

Arevik Martirosyan - The International Information Security School

Rapporteur

Pavel Pozdnyakov - The Coordination Center for TLD .RU/.РФ, Russia

SDGs

1. No Poverty
4.4
4.5
4.a
11. Sustainable Cities and Communities

Targets: AI can facilitate access to all levels of education and vocational training for all people, regardless of their gender and position including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations. AI can become the basis of building and upgrading education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all by facilitating access to knowledge and ensuring the availability of education. More accessible education helps to solve the problem of poverty by creating decent employment opportunities. Through AI technologies in education, it is possible to develop the sustainability of economically underdeveloped settlements and thereby develop their digital infrastructure.

Format

Lightning Talks: presentation and Q&A

Duration (minutes)
30
Language

English

Description

Artificial intelligence has the potential to accelerate the process of achieving global educational goals by reducing barriers to access to learning, automating management processes and optimizing methods to improve learning outcomes. It can also help bridge the gap in access to knowledge. Ensuring transparent and controlled use of educational data involves analyzing the possibilities of reducing the risks associated with the use of AI in the field of education; identifying and promoting reliable data for the development of policies that guarantee accountability, as well as creating understandable and transparent algorithms in the field of education for all stakeholders.

Youth Council of the Coordination Center for TLD .RU/.РФ together with the International Information Security School, organized a workshop at IGF 2022 last year. We have built and debugged correct and convenient interaction with each other both offline and online. Last year, the workshop was held successfully, without any delays and problems.

Key Takeaways (* deadline 2 hours after session)

1) The most important problem in the near future will be the interaction between human and artificial cognitive systems during complex cognitive processes such as learning, comprehension and decision making. The process of identifying a problem when solving tasks can be performed by both humans and AI: humans understand the emotional components best, while AI is well equipped to collect and process data to identify possible gaps.

2) It is important to think through the processes of interaction with AI, without perceiving technology as a danger. The threat is not in artificial intelligence tools, but a backward and outdated approach to learning and education.

Call to Action (* deadline 2 hours after session)

1) For educational organizations: think about how best to develop regulation of the use of artificial intelligence at the level of internal regulations in order to make the learning process more efficient

2) For governments: When discussing the development of AI legislation do not forget to take into account all the aspects of the complex AI systems. The possible restriction of the AI use in education need to be avoided, as it will have a positive impact in this filed.

Session Report (* deadline 26 October) - click on the ? symbol for instructions

AI in education: the future or a storm in a glass?

On October 8, 2023, the Youth Council of the Coordination Center for TLD .RU/.РФ together with the International Information Security School held a section "AI in education: the future or a storm in a glass", the main topic of which was the use of artificial intelligence technologies in educational processes in schools and universities.

Representatives of the Coordination Center Andrey Aleynikov and Pavel Pozdnyakov, as well as members of the Youth Council and the IIB School Arevik Martirosyan and Vera Terekhova highlighted the pros and cons of using artificial intelligence in education, based on the results of current international research, and conducted a survey among the audience about their opinions on the issues raised during the session.

When discussing the digitization of education, it's essential to bear in mind that global challenges and the rapid pace of technological advancement are reshaping our world. Consequently, they are transforming the learning experience of individuals, necessitating the acquisition of skills that were unimaginable just half a century ago. To adapt to these new challenges, significant reforms in teaching and learning methods are required, accessible to everyone regardless of their background or social affiliation.

The gap between those who can utilize basic digital technologies, including the internet and artificial intelligence, and those who lack access is a massive concern. While some educators can afford to employ innovative teaching techniques, others are compelled to focus more on fundamental aspects of the teaching process, like sourcing materials to teach their students adequately. The situation is further complicated by the fact that the digital divide exists on multiple fronts: between developed and developing countries, various socio-economic groups within countries, technology owners and users, and even those whose professions are enhanced by artificial intelligence and those whose fields of expertise may be jeopardized by its rise. Therefore, considering the diversity of these issues, we should expect that education will gradually transform within the framework of a complex process, rather than through a single wave of changes. 

The most important problem in the near future will be the interaction between human and artificial cognitive systems during complex cognitive processes such as learning, comprehension and decision making. The process of identifying a problem when solving tasks can be performed by both humans and AI: humans understand the emotional components best, while AI is well equipped to collect and process data to identify possible gaps.

However, the use of AI can carry not only advantages. The ability to create high-quality content in almost real time is increasingly being used in the modern world to manipulate public opinion, spread misinformation and form a distorted view of reality.

Therefore, the use of AI in education should be approached with some caution, but without strict prohibitions. It is necessary to develop regulation.

It is important to think through the processes of interaction with AI, without perceiving technology as a danger. The threat is not in artificial intelligence tools, but a backward and outdated approach to learning and education.