The introduction of artificial intelligence into education curriculums is a signal for governments and technology companies to invest in initiatives that would help to provide students with a well-rounded foundation for their future, according to experts.
AI as a school subject will be an opportunity to offer programmes such as internships to immerse them into real-world AI cases, said Lydia Kostopoulos, a strategist for academia and governments.
This can be done as early as high school, because “the sooner that they can start to see the real-world applications and problems of AI, the better the government can help facilitate that”, Ms Kostopoulos told The National during the Governance of Emerging Technology Summit in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
“They can also create a rule, that can also happen for the private sector, that students who are in high school in the summers can go and do an internship at any company of their choice,” she said.
AI in schools will also present students with its risks and opportunities, enabling them to view the technology not in a passive way but in a more proactive approach, said Oreste Pollicino, a professor of constitutional law and AI regulation at Milan's Universita Bocconi.
“For students [it is really important] to inject awareness because if they know the technology not only from a technical point of view but also from an ethical standpoint, then they will know which are the risks and value, and they are in a much better position to move in a prudent and wise way, compared to just being passive,” Prof Pollicino told The National.
On Sunday, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, announced that AI is to be introduced as a subject across all stages of government education in the UAE, starting from the next academic year.
AI will be taught from reception – four years old – to grade 12 in the hope that future generations can develop a “deep understanding of AI from a technical perspective”, Sheikh Mohammed said.
While there has been no announcement yet on whether private schools, which are regulated separately, will be instructed to roll out AI classes, Sheikh Mohammed said that an awareness of the ethics of AI's use and an understanding of its data, algorithms, applications and risks are also leading facets of the education policy.
Both experts agreed that introducing AI at such a young age is an advantage and is consistent with the Emirates' standing as a first mover, especially in technology.
“AI has many different aspects to it, so it is critical that kids at a very young age start to learn how it works also to understand the limitations,” Ms Kostopoulos said.
This includes making them understand that AI may not always be right so that they can learn to challenge fallacies, which they can use in their transition to professional lives, she added.
“The majority of us will really use AI on a day-to-day basis to make decisions, to augment our work to make things move faster. When we do that, we're going to have to make judgment calls on whether the information the AI gave us is good or not.”
Both Ms Kostopoulos and Prof Pollicino urged an incremental or “age-appropriate” approach in order to not shock students with sensitive topics such as explicit content and fake information, which are among the biggest issues being faced by AI.
That ties into the UAE's AI education strategy, where there will be tailored units for each age group, starting with four-year-olds engaging in visual and interactive activities to discover AI through play.
“[The age of four] is not too early, but we need a gradual approach: the first year could be the basic [knowledge] without too much pressure and then only when students are really ready from not only a physical but especially from a mental age to learn what the risks are that a much more full immersion [can be done],” Prof Pollicino said.
“Otherwise the risk is to run [with] too much [knowledge] and not achieving the aim.”
