In her program document titled “Generative AI and the future of education”, she noted that the process of validating a new textbook was far more extensive than that of introducing AI utilities into classrooms, with many of these not requiring validation at all.
UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education Stefania Giannini has warned against the speed with which AI technologies have been integrated into schools without any checks, rules, or regulations.
In her program document titled “Generative AI and the future of education”, she noted that the process of validating a new textbook was far more extensive than that of introducing AI utilities into classrooms, with many of these not requiring validation at all.
In May 2023, UNESCO convened the first global meeting of ministers of education to focus on the implications of generative AI tools for teaching and learning. The organization is working with countries to develop strategies to ensure the safe and beneficial use of AI in educational settings.
UNESCO’s 2021 Recommendation on the Ethics of AI, the 2019 Beijing Consensus on AI and Education, and the 2021 AI and Education Guidance for Policy-Makers provide essential references. In “I’d Blush if I Could,” UNESCO addressed gender bias in AI chatbots; OpenAI and other companies subsequently avoided gendering them as young subservient women, a result lauded by UNESCO.
UNESCO urged countries to prioritize inclusion, equity, quality, and safety when adopting AI for education; this reflects commitments made in the Sustainable Development Agenda and 2022 Transforming Education Summit.
Giannini noted that educational resources for schools and students must pass four tests: accuracy of content, age appropriateness, the relevance of pedagogical methods, and cultural and social suitability, which encompasses checks to protect against bias.
Giannini called on education sectors to independently assess the use of AI in schools, urging that industry self-regulation was unacceptable. She suggested ministries of education build their capacity and coordinate with other government arms to vet and validate applications. Additionally, she stressed the need for a better balance between developing technology and its application and ensuring safety from potential misuse.
The Assistant Director-General urges the public to address the challenges of AI, underlining that our “well-being and perhaps even survival” hinge on its successful transition. Education systems must be mobilized to ensure a smooth path into an AI world, Giannini insisted. “Our work must be infused with urgency,” she emphasizes.
