Efforts to detect students who pass off work generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI) as their own “will not” succeed because of the technology’s sophistication, according to a report by the State’s AI advisory council published on Friday.
Instead of concentrating on policing, schools should be seeking to develop critical and analytical thinking around the technology, it says.
The report’s authors highlight the huge potential of AI to benefit educators and students but say its use in the sector is “developing at an unprecedented rate that none of us can easily be comfortable with, and some are more uncomfortable than others”.
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Many schools, it suggests, are trying to regulate its use at a local level without adequate guidance, an approach, they say, that has essentially failed in areas like the detection of plagiarism.
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“It is now clear that detection methods do not and will not work,” the report notes, “so integrating AI into teaching should be about using it constructively and developing broader critical thinking around the capabilities and limitations, and shortfalls amongst students”.
Centralised guidelines should be issued but remain flexible enough that they can be adapted to local needs and a rapidly changing technological landscape, it is recommended.
“We’ve regularly been told Department of Education guidelines are imminent,” said Prof Alan Smeaton of DCU, who chaired the council’s working group on education.
“I know this is difficult to do because of the fast-moving nature of the issue, it’s hard to jump on a moving train.
“But when there’s a complete vacuum from the top down schools or individual teachers will come up with their own guidelines and we need to have more structure in relation to this, with a balance between top down and bottom up.”
Investment is required to ensure access to AI tools is equally available to all students, content remains private and particular support for Irish language models is provided so teachers and students in Gaelscoileanna are not disadvantaged.
A substantial programme of training in AI literacy should also be provided, it is argued in the report.
“The education sector right across the board, currently lacks consistency concerning whether and how teachers and instructors are trained to use AI, particularly generative AI, in their teaching,” noted the report.
“We urgently need to develop and implement training programs in AI literacy that will equip our educators with fundamental familiarity with AI, and to prepare those who will train others.”
The report covers a range of areas affected by the developing technology and recommends several legislative actions including a ban on “deep fakes” involving portrayals of individuals, sometimes in pornographic contexts.
On the potential use of facial recognition technology (FRT) by the Garda, it suggests “the State must approach the adoption of AI that impacts fundamental rights with caution and rigour. Furthermore, public trust in AI is crucial. FRT in law enforcement is high-risk and cannot be responsibly implemented without addressing issues of accuracy, discriminatory effects, data privacy, data security, and fundamental rights.”
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The council says the outcome of research previously cited by the Garda in support of its introduction does not meet the sort of standard that should be applied before its use should be contemplated.
Concerning the arts and creative sector, it again highlights the range of potential opportunities and clear dangers, citing one estimation that a quarter of music authors’ income could be at risk by 2028.
It says it is “imperative the Government considers whether Ireland’s copyright laws and licensing regimes are equipped to address AI disruption”.
Advisory council chairwoman Patricia Scanlon said the report “lays out actionable recommendations to ensure Ireland remains competitive in the global AI arena while fostering an inclusive, ethical, and sustainable future”.
