A key concern raised by Giannini is the widening digital divide
Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to profoundly reshape human life, much like the discovery of fire, but it also carries significant risks if not properly managed, said Stefania Giannini, UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Education. In an interview with PTI from Paris, Giannini, who is also Italy’s former Minister of Education, emphasized the wide-ranging social and educational impacts of each technological revolution, while also warning of the growing digital divide between countries.
“Over the course of my career, I have witnessed at least four digital revolutions – from the advent of personal computers to the rise of the internet, mobile devices, social media, and now the rapid emergence of generative artificial intelligence (AI) like ChatGPT,” Giannini said. Each of these technological breakthroughs, she noted, has radically changed how we live and learn, though their effects have not been felt equally across the globe.
While AI presents remarkable opportunities across various sectors, such as education, healthcare, work, and transportation, Giannini stressed that like fire, AI can pose serious threats if mishandled. “AI offers both potential benefits and dangers,” she said, drawing attention to its transformative capabilities as well as the risks it entails.
A key concern raised by Giannini is the widening digital divide. She warned that without proper investments in technology, countries already lagging behind could fall further behind in the digital age. “The digital divide in countries is still very much deep, and new technology, if not supported by the right investments, will widen this divide,” she cautioned.
UNESCO’s Global Education Monitoring Report further highlights that technology, including AI, is never ideologically neutral. Giannini pointed out that AI applications like ChatGPT generate new data from existing online content, which raises important questions about human knowledge, education, and learning.
“As AI continues to mine our collective intelligence and may soon outpace human capabilities, we will still have the tools to control and steer technology for the benefit of humanity,” she added.
On the role of AI in education, Giannini said it cannot simply be classified as “good” or “bad.” However, she underscored the need for governments and international organizations to create robust frameworks to regulate AI, especially in education, where the final users are students, teachers, and schools.
One major challenge, she noted, is determining the right content and curriculum for the digital age. Another critical issue is how to assess learning outcomes in a world where AI can easily “hack” traditional exams. “Exams that were once ‘unhackable’ are now easily hackable with AI applications. This raises tricky ethical questions and fuels debate about the future of assessment,” Giannini explained.
She posed important questions for educators: “Should schools and universities block AI use? Or should we transform assessments to focus on presenting and supporting ideas with evidence?”
Giannini also highlighted the uncertainty around the future role of teachers in a world with AI tutors. “The main question is whether schools of the future will still need teachers, or how AI will change the work of educators,” she said.
In 2023, UNESCO published its first “Guidance to Generative Artificial Intelligence in Education and Research,” which proposed key actions for governments to regulate AI. These include protecting children’s data privacy, updating copyright laws, and setting age limits for using generative AI.
Giannini concluded by discussing the skills needed in the digital age. While technical skills like programming and data science remain important, she noted that as AI becomes more sophisticated, the need for these specialised skills may diminish. Instead, critical thinking and socio-emotional abilities to “ask the right questions” of AI will become essential. “With generative AI, anyone can write a Shakespearean sonnet, program software, or compose a concerto. The quality of these results will depend on one’s ability to interact with technology effectively,” she said.
In this changing landscape, Giannini emphasized the need for societies to adapt quickly, ensuring that technology benefits everyone, rather than exacerbating inequalities.
