AI is everywhere, including in our schools. But what does the rapid deployment of AI mean for the 900,000 students in New York City’s public schools? What are the guardrails in place for its use? What are the dangers of AI? What are the everyday changes taking place because of its implementation?
Earlier this year the New York City Department of Education (DOE) rolled out guidance for the use of AI. The backlash from students, parents and pretty much everyone was so severe that in June, the DOE postponed their planned rollout of an AI \"Playbook,\" which would have been a more comprehensive version of the \"guidance.\" This postponement was a win for the movement to rein in AI use in schools and it’s a clear example of the high-stakes around this contentious issue.
On this episode, we’re joined by students from the NYCLU’s Teen Activist Project, who have first-hand experience with how AI is being used in their classrooms. We ask them about how AI is used in their schools, their concerns about the technology, what needs to change about the use of AI in schools, and a lot more.
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In this episode, you'll hear:
0:00 Intro
02:10 How students feel about AI in schools
04:20 What’s wrong with the DOE’s AI guidance?
06:30 How AI is already showing up in classrooms
08:00 Why some schools don’t need AI
09:50 Student surveillance: GoGuardian and Smart Pass
13:20 The biggest problem: lack of transparency
16:10 AI, cheating, and the loss of foundational skills
20:20 What happens if AI takes over education?
23:10 The $57,000 AI teacher
26:50 What should a better AI policy look like?
30:30 Outro
Resources:
More on the spying powers of GoGuardian: https://www.nyclu.org/commentary/software-could-be-spying-nyc-students
More on the creepy hall pass technology SmartPass: https://www.nyclu.org/commentary/why-is-my-school-tracking-me-when-i-use-the-bathroom
For more on everything we discuss in this episode, visit www.nyclu.org/
For transcripts and additional information on the episodes, visit www.nyclu.org/podcasts
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