The European Commission (EC) has published a guide aimed at addressing misconceptions about Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help teachers promote its ethical use.
The Ethical Guidelines on the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) addresses how AI should be used in schools to support teachers and students in their teaching and learning.
In a statement, the EC said the Guidelines were developed by an expert group which brought together a wide range of practitioners from the worlds of education and training, academia, private sector and international organisations.
EC Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, Mariya Gabriel said AI had a great potential to transform education and training for students, teachers and school staff.
“It can help students with learning difficulties and support teachers through individualised learning,” Ms Gabriel (pictured) said.
“However, the use of AI and data comes with privacy, security and safety risks, especially when it involves our young people,” she said.
“Therefore, I am pleased these guidelines will help ensure these risks are being considered and our children can be kept safe and protected.”
The EC noted that as AI systems constantly evolved and data usage proliferated, there was a need to develop a better understanding of their impact, including on education and training.
“The rapid increase in the use of AI requires that educators and students have a basic understanding of AI and data usage to be able to engage positively, critically and ethically with this technology and to exploit its full potential,” the EC statement said.
“The guidelines will help teachers at primary and secondary levels of education, independently of their experience in digital education.”
It said the major objective was to “clarify popular and widespread misconceptions about AI that might cause confusion or anxiety over its use, especially in education”.
Brussels, 26 October 2022
