Education Minister Keiko Nagaoka expressed the ministry’s commitment to addressing concerns and promoting a safe and effective environment for AI utilization in education. The guidelines will be shared with boards of education and other relevant organizations to facilitate implementation.
Japan has introduced comprehensive guidelines outlining the integration of generative AI in educational institutions.
The guidelines cited the benefits and risks associated with AI, while also addressing concerns such as personal information leakage and copyright infringement.
In a report from the Japan Times, students are expected to grasp the characteristics of AI, including both its advantages and disadvantages, before utilizing it.
The guidelines also stated that passing off AI-generated reports, essays, or any other works as one’s own is considered inappropriate.
Furthermore, the guidelines advocate for the use of AI in English language learning and encourage its integration into group activities. The approach aims to facilitate discussions among students, allowing them to explore diverse perspectives and enhance the depth of their conversations.
Education Minister Keiko Nagaoka expressed the ministry’s commitment to addressing concerns and promoting a safe and effective environment for AI utilization in education.
The guidelines will be shared with boards of education and other relevant organizations to facilitate implementation.
Hisanobu Muto, a school digitization project team leader at the ministry, suggested that experimental activities based on the guidelines should be conducted in schools. These activities would take into account personal data protection, security, and copyright considerations, while also contributing to further discussions on AI implementation in the future.
The ministry also underscored the importance of AI literacy among teachers, urging educators to use AI-generated fake information as teaching materials to help students develop fact-checking skills as well as to streamline administrative tasks, reduce teacher workloads, and enhance teaching practices.
Traditional exam and homework methods, such as writing reports, may need to be reconsidered as AI can easily perform such tasks, they stated.
“If teachers themselves become familiar with the new technology and learn how to use it in a convenient, safe and smart way, they will be able to respond appropriately in their educational activities,” said Muto.
Regarding concerns about personal information leakage, the guidelines advised against inputting sensitive information and recommended setting up AI systems in a way that prevents the use of personal data for machine learning.
The Japanese government plans to engage AI companies and request improvements in their products for educational use.
Strengthening content filtering, implementing personal information protection features, and developing AI tools specifically designed for education are among the expected areas of improvement.
In collaboration with NHK, Japan’s national public broadcasting organization, the Ministry of Education also intends to produce educational videos on generative AI learning, as stated in the guidelines. These guidelines are not limited to public schools but are intended for implementation across various educational institutions.
The Ministry of Education acknowledged that the guidelines are subject to revision based on feedback and the development of additional regulations related to AI technology.
