Doha (Qatar), Dec 7 (PTI) Artificial Intelligence (AI) has necessitated a fundamental rethink of teaching, learning and reshaping of the education landscape and there is a need to enact policies to prevent its misuse and prepare young people to face and flourish in an uncertain ever-changing future built on technology, according to experts.
Stressing that the world is at a tipping point for human evolution because machines are about to change "we live and work", experts deliberated on “Classrooms of Future” during the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) here last week.
“The world is at a tipping point for human evolution because machines are about to profoundly change the way we live, the way we work, and even experience what it means to be human,” said Nina Schick, a Generative AI expert and Founder of Tamang Ventures Limited, an advisory firm focused on AI.
Referring to the exponential rate at which the capabilities of AI systems are advancing, Shick emphasised, “In this new age of intelligence – a revolution – the default is going to be a symbiotic relationship with machine and human working together”.
Marc Owen Jones, Associate Professor, Middle Eastern Studies Department at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), delved into the challenges faced by education systems in identifying and combating misinformation and advised on ways to tackle AI-generated propaganda.
“At the institutional level, we can and must enact policies. Many of us do not have policies on the use of AI in university, on how we use and harness data. We need to act before a crisis ensues. Our young people need to be prepared to face and flourish in an uncertain ever-changing future built on technology and AI,” said Francisco Marmolejo, President of Higher Education at Qatar Foundation.
Patrick Awuah Jr, President of Ashesi University in Ghana, said: “Technology multiplies human intent. It multiplies what we do. The work that we have to educate ethical leaders is actually more important as technology advances. AI has necessitated a fundamental rethink of how we do our teaching and learning and reshaping the education landscape”.
The experts discussed solutions and initiatives for educational recovery and explored the accessibility of digital data and technologies in conflict-affected communities.
A panel titled ‘AI for Common Good’ explored the collective impact of AI applications in the fields of research, education, policy, philanthropy, and media on cultivating the next generation of leaders and problem-solvers.
“Qatar has a national AI strategy, for which a new curriculum has been designed to smoothly incorporate AI in classrooms. The curriculum will have a strong focus on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) while there is an equal emphasis on e-learning," said Buthaina Bint Ali Al Jabr Al Nuaimi, Minister of Education and Higher Education, Qatar.
"Qatar is one of the early adopters of a national K-12 AI curriculum. It aims at preparing students for a workforce that increasingly involves AI technologies and skills," the minister said.
Former Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovi cautioned against the dangers of misuse of technology.
“We need strategic relationships between countries to find solutions as there is a lack of regulation. There are dangers of misuse, and it is up to the industry to prevent the potential misuse of the technology. There is a massive growth of the dark web particularly in the criminal world. AI can be used in sports, culture and so many other sectors,” she said.
Organised by the Qatar Foundation in association with Education Above All, the WISE summit was attended by scholars, policymakers, administrators, scientists, educators, startup founders and students from across the globe who discussed their experience and knowledge in various domains.
The global summit convened more than 2,000 education industry stakeholders, including influential thought leaders, young trailblazers, and key decision-makers to foster dialogue on the transformative power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the global education landscape.
A series of thought-provoking panel discussions and policy roundtables explored topics such as strategies for educators to future-proof classrooms in the era of AI and navigating the impact of AI superpowers to build an inclusive global AI landscape, among others.