The lack of a formal AI policy from the Department of Education risks a “cohort of teachers being left behind”, Jess Kelly has warned. 

As the technology advances at a rapid pace, more and more teachers and pupils are incorporating it into their daily life. 

Concerns have been raised that its use by students could undermine the integrity of the Leaving Cert, while Trinity Professor Luke O’Neill has suggested it could even ultimately replace teachers. 

On Newstalk Daily, Tech Correspondent Jess Kelly said there is currently no “uniform policy” across the board in schools on the use of technology - including AI. 

“If you have a tech literate teacher who is really interested in technology and who goes out of their way to engage with it and find ways for it to work, then it’s phenomenal,” she explained. 

“It comes back to education; we need to do a cross the board analysis of where could AI potentially help our teachers? 

“Where could it save some time? Where could it help the children with their learning? 

“Then, make sure that nobody is left behind because you don’t want a cohort of teachers being left behind because of AI.” 

Concept of Artificial Intelligence. Picture by: Alamy.com.

Jess recommended that teachers should be offered courses on AI, to help them understand the ethical issues and privacy concerns people have with the technology. 

She is, she added, “frustrated” that the guidance has yet to come out. 

“Things have evolved so much now,” she said. 

“Schools need to have comprehensive social media policies for their own channels and ensure that they are GDPR compliant, getting parental consent and all of that kind of stuff when it comes to kids. 

“We need to have a uniform approach when it comes to the systems being used and coming to develop AI guidelines in 2025 after this technology has been around for quite a while now, for me, is a bit too slow.” 

Official advice

The Department of Enterprise has set up an AI Advisory Council to provide “expert guidance, advice and recommendations to Government on emerging issues in artificial intelligence”. 

However, Jess added it would be years before official guidance is issued to schools. 

“Students will start using it on their own, teachers will start using it on their own and they’ll make their own way,” she predicted. 

Main image: School children with their teacher. Picture by: Alamy.com.