New York: Europe and the Arabs

As students return to classrooms in most parts of the world, UNESCO has published first-of-its-kind guidance on generative artificial intelligence in education and research.

The guidelines aim to address the disruptions created by these technologies and ensure human-centred approaches. UNESCO urged governments to adopt and implement appropriate regulations and provide teachers with the necessary training in this regard. According to what was stated in the United Nations daily news bulletin, a copy of which we received on Friday morning

Generative AI can represent a huge opportunity for human development, but it can also result in harm and bias, said UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay.

She added, "Therefore, it cannot be integrated into education in the absence of public participation, guarantees, and necessary government regulations." She said UNESCO's guidelines will help policymakers and educators "better explore the potential of artificial intelligence for the fundamental benefit of seekers."

  The UNESCO Guidance covers what generative AI is and how it works, and delves into the debate surrounding generative AI and its implications for education, particularly its role in widening digital and data divides. For example, current ChatGPT models are trained on data from Internet users and capture the values and social norms of the Global North.

Ethical use of artificial intelligence
The UNESCO Guidance sets out seven key steps that governments should take to regulate generative AI and develop policy frameworks that ensure AI is used ethically in education and research, as well as adopting global, regional and national standards for data protection and privacy.

It also sets the minimum age for using artificial intelligence tools in the classroom, which is 13 years, and calls for teacher training in this regard.

  UNESCO said that it issued these guidelines, which promote human effectiveness, inclusion, equity, gender equality, and cultural and linguistic diversity, today, Thursday, in conjunction with the launch of “Digital Learning Week” at its headquarters in Paris.

The week's activities bring together more than a thousand participants to discuss a number of topics, including the issue of public digital learning platforms and generative artificial intelligence in education.