AI ‘chatbots’ expose students to false or biased information, UN warns

UNESCO urges action to mitigate inherent flaws

The United Nations agency for education, UNESCO, has issued a warning to educators to proceed with caution when using artificial intelligence tools in classrooms.

“Risks to using these tools can see students exposed to false or biased information,” the agency was told by some education ministers at the global meeting to address AI.

In May the UN convened the first ever global meeting with education ministers from around the world to explore risks and rewards of using chatbots in classrooms. The debate revealed other common concerns, including how to mitigate the chatbots’ inherent flaws of producing glaring errors.

“Generative AI opens new horizons and challenges for education, but we urgently need to take action to ensure that new AI technologies are integrated into education on our terms,” said Stefania Giannini, UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Education. “It is our duty to prioritize safety, inclusion, diversity, transparency and quality.”

“It is our duty to prioritize safety, inclusion, diversity, transparency and quality.”

Stefania Giannini, UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Education

Institutions are facing myriad challenges in crafting an immediate response to the sudden emergence of these powerful AI apps, according to a new UNESCO survey of more than 450 schools and universities. Less than 10 per cent of schools and universities follow formal guidance on using wildly popular artificial intelligence tools, like the chatbot software ChatGPT, according to UNESCO.

Ministers also addressed how best to integrate these tools into curricula, teaching methods, and exams, and adapting education systems to the disruptions which generative AI is quickly causing.

In a twist of irony, many highlighted the vital role teachers play in this new era as learning facilitators. But, teachers need guidance and training to meet these challenges, according to UNESCO. The UN agency will be developing policy guidelines on the use of generative AI in education and research, as well as frameworks of AI competencies for students and teachers for classrooms.

Learn more: https://www.unesco.org/en/digital-education

(Cover: Oil painting artistic image of artificial intelligence that teaches life to high school students
Important information. This image was generated by an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system. Via Shutterstock)