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New Orleans Artificial intelligences place in schools may be poised to grow, but school districts and companies have a long way to go before teachers buy into the concept.

At a session on the future of AI in school districts, held at the ISTE conference this week, a panel of leaders discussed its potential to shape classroom experiences and the many unresolved questions associated with the technology.

The mention of AI can intimidate teachers asits so often associated with complex code and sophisticated robotics. But AI is already a part of daily life in the way our phones recommend content to us or the ways that our smart home technology responds to our requests.

When AI is made relatable, thats when teachers buy into it, opening doors for successful implementation in the classroom, panelists said.

AI sounds so exotic right now, but it wasnt that long ago that even computer science in classrooms was blowing our minds, said Joseph South, chief learning officer for ISTE. South is a former director of the office of educational technology at the U.S. Department of Education.It doesnt matter how much we do out here. If the teacher doesnt believe in what youre bringing to the table, it will not be successful.Nneka McGee, South San Antonio Independent School District

The first step in getting educators comfortable with AI is to provide them the support to understand it, said Nancye Blair Black, ISTEs AI Explorations project lead, who moderated the panel. That kind of support needs to come from many sources, from federal officials down to the state level and individual districts.

We need to be talking about, What is AI? and it needs to be explained, she said. A lot of people think AI is magic, but we just need to understand these tools and their limitations and do more research to get people on board.

With the use of machine learning, AI technologies can adapt to individual students needs in real-time, tracking their progress and providing immediate feedback and data to teachers as well.

In instances where a student may be rushing through answering questions, AI technology can pick up on that and flag the student to slow down, the speakers said. This can provide a level of individual attention that cant be achieved by a teacher whos expected to be looking over every students shoulder simultaneously.

Others see reasons to be wary of AIs potential impact on teaching and learning. Many ed-tech advocates and academic researchers have raised serious concerns that the technology could have a negative impact on students.

One longstanding worry is that the data AI systems rely on can be inaccurate or even discriminatory, and that the algorithms put into AI programs make faulty assumptions about students and their educational interests and potential.

For instance, if AI is used to influence decisions about which lessons or academic programs students have access to, it could end up scuttling students opportunities, rather than enhancing them.

Nneka McGee, executive director for learning and innovation for the South San Antonio ISD, mentioned in the ISTE panel that a lot more research still has to be done on AI, regarding opportunity, data, and ethics.

Some districts that are more affluent will have more funding, so how do we provide opportunities for all students? she said.

We also need to look into the amount of data that is needed and collected for AI to run effectively. Your school will probably need a data- sharing agreement with the companies you work with.

A lot of research needs to be done on AIs data security and accessibility, as well as how to best integrate such technologies across the curriculum not just in STEM-focused courses.

Its important to start getting educators familiar with the AI and how it works, panelists said, because when used effectively, AI can increase student engagement in the classroom, and give teachers more time to customize lessons to individual student needs.

As AI picks up momentum within the education sphere, the speakers said that teachers need to start by learning the fundamentals of the technology and how it can be used in their classrooms.But a big share of the responsibilityalso falls on company officials developing new AI products, Black said.

When asked about advice for ed-tech organizations that are looking to expand into AI capabilities, Black emphasized the need for user-friendliness and an interface that can be seamlessly assimilated into existing curriculum and standards.

Hand [teachers] something they can use right away, not just another thing to pile on what they already have, she said.

McGee, of the South San Antonio ISD,urges companies to include teachers in every part of the process when it comes to pioneering AI.

Involve teachers because theyre on the front lines; theyre the first ones who see our students, she said. It doesnt matter how much we do out here. If the teacher doesnt believe in what youre bringing to the table, it will not be successful.

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Photo Credit: International Society for Technology in Education

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How to Make Teachers Informed Consumers of Artificial Intelligence - Market Brief - EdWeek

Artificial intelligence (AI) is often presented in binary terms in both popular culture and political analysis. Either it represents the key to a futuristic utopia defined by the integration of human intelligence and technological prowess, or it is the first step toward a dystopian rise of machines. This same binary thinking is practiced by academics, entrepreneurs, and even activists in relation to the application of AI in combating climate change. The technology industrys singular focus on AIs role in creating a new technological utopia obscures the ways that AI can exacerbate environmental degradation, often in ways that directly harm marginalized populations. In order to utilize AI in fighting climate change in a way that both embraces its technological promise and acknowledges its heavy energy use, the technology companies leading the AI charge need to explore solutions to the environmental impacts of AI.

AI can be a powerful tool to fight climate change. AI self-driving cars, for instance, may reduce emissions by 50 percent by 2050 by identifying the most efficient routes. Employing AI in agriculture produces higher yields; peanut farmers in India achieved a 30 percent larger harvest by using AI technology. In addition, AI can provide faster and more accurate analysis of satellite images that identify disaster-stricken areas in need of assistance or rainforest destruction. AI-driven data analysis can also help predict hazardous weather patterns and increase accountability by precisely monitoring whether governments and companies are sticking to their emissions targets.

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Energy and Environment

Yet AI and the broader internet and communications industry have increasingly come under fire for using exorbitant amounts of energy. Take data processing, for example. The supercomputers used to run cutting-edge AI programs are powered by the public electricity grid and supported by back up diesel-powered generators. Training a single AI system can emit over 250,000 pounds of carbon dioxide. In fact, the use of AI technology across all sectors produces carbon dioxide emissions at a level comparable to the aviation industry. These additional emissions disproportionately impact historically marginalized communities who often live in heavily polluted areas and are more directly affected by the health hazards of pollution.

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Recently, AI scientists and engineers have responded to these critiques and are considering new sources for powering data farms. However, even new, ostensibly more sustainable energy sources such as rechargeable batteries can exacerbate climate change and harm communities. Most rechargeable batteries are built using lithium, a rare earth metal whose extraction can have negative effects for marginalized communities. Lithium extraction, which is fueled by an increasing demand for cleaner energy sources, demands enormous water usage, to the tune of 500,000 gallons of water for every ton of lithium extracted. In Chile, the second largest producer of lithium in the world, indigenous communities like the Copiap people in the North often clash with mining companies over land and water rights. These mining activities are so water intensive, the Institute for Energy Research reports that in Salar de Atacama they consumed 65 percent of the regions water. This water loss damages and permanently depletes wetlands and water sources, which has caused native species of flora and fauna to become endangered and affected local populations. Portraying lithium as clean energy simply because it is less environmentally disastrous than diesel or coal is a false dichotomy, which discourages stakeholders from pursuing newer, greener energy sources.

The development of artificial intelligence technology is a symbol of incredible progress; however, progress is not one size fits all, and the companies developing these technologies have a responsibility to ensure that marginalized communities do not bear the brunt of the negative side effects of the AI revolution.

Some data farms have shifted to running entirely on clean energy. Icelands data farms, for example, largely run on clean energy powered by the islands hydroelectric and geothermal resources, and the country has become a popular location for new data centers. These data centers also dont need to be cooled by energy-intensive fans or air conditioningIcelands cold climate does the trick. However, Iceland is particularly well suited to hosting data processing centers, and most countries arent able to replicate the unique environmental conditions.

Large data companies can avoid the pitfalls of lithium batteries by using physical batteries. Made of concrete, these batteries store gravitational potential energy in elevated concrete blocks which can then be harnessed at any point. This isnt some far off ideain a Swiss valley two 35 ton concrete blocks are suspended by a 246 foot tower. These are an early prototype of what a physical battery could look like, and together, they hold enough energy to power two thousand homes (two megawatts). Physical batteries are a potential alternative to lithium batteries with a lower cost to the environment and marginalized communities, and which could be built from commonly available materials, such as concrete.

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Robots and Artificial Intelligence

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The U.S. government, through the Department of Energy and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), has invested billions of dollars in improving lithium batteries, especially by creating solid-state lithium ion batteries, which could provide better safety, energy density, and lifespan compared to traditional lithium ion batteries. Some private companies have made commitments to expand their use of lithium ion technology in their facilities, including Google, which has created a pilot program to phase out diesel generators at some data centers and replace them with lithium ion batteries. These investments are not enough, especially at a time when electric vehicle manufacturers and the U.S. government are making multi-billion dollar investments in new kinds of batteries. Technology companies need to do more to help solve the energy use and storage issues posed by AI.

AI presents a number of advantages for solving the current climate crisis, but the potential environmental side effects are hard to ignore. Technology companies have often been lauded for their creativity and ingenuity, and they need to apply these skills to solve the problems associated with artificial intelligence.

Elsabet Jones is an Assistant Editor in the Council on Foreign Relations Education Department.

Baylee Easterday is a Program Associate with World Learning and a former intern in the Council on Foreign Relations Education Department.

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Artificial Intelligences Environmental Costs and Promise - Council on Foreign Relations

In the high-tech fast-changing world, the nature of work also keeps changing. In the last few decades computers, robots and automation have changed the nature and roles of almost every job. Automation and artificial intelligence are spurring a new revolution, transforming jobs in every industry from IT to manufacturing.

According to some studies, about one fourth of the jobs are at risk of being automated across the globe. This trend sometimes makes people nervous about job security.

Increased adoption and evolution of Automation & Artificial Intelligence brings along skepticism of a large number of roles and skills displacement. Instead, automation and AI should be used to evolve job roles and help make human workers more effective, Arjun Jolly, Principal, Athena Executive Search & Consulting said.

Here are some skills and professions that cant be easily replaced by automation.Jobs involving high levels of human interaction, strategic interpretation, critical decision making, niche skills or subject matter expertise won't be replaced by automation anytime soon. For instance - Lawyers, Leadership roles, Medical Professionals, Healthcare practitioners, IT & HR Professionals. We can automate almost every part of the contract workflow process, but will still continue to rely on human intervention to put arguments, establish social relations in the negotiation phase, and find nuances in the data, rather than relying on data and algorithms outright, Arjun Jolly said.

Human Resource, Customer relationship management: While alexa or siri are great at following your every direction, but they cant really understand how youre feeling. Even the most advanced technology will never be able to comprehend our emotions and respond in the way that a human can. Whether its a team leader helping employees through a difficult time, account managers working with clients, or hiring managers looking for the perfect candidate, you need empathy to get those jobs done.

Roles that involve building relationships with clients, customers or patients can never be replaced by automation.

Automation will continue to take on more operational functions like payroll, filtering of job applications etc. But the human touch will always remain when it comes to HR. Similarly, even in the healthcare sector, automation and technology are playing an important role. But these need to work alongside humans doctors, surgeons, nurses, healthcare workers for diagnosis and treatment, Rupali Kaul, Operational Head-West, Marching Sheep said.

"Besides this, Psychologists, caregivers, most engineers, human resource managers, marketing strategists, and lawyers are some roles that cannot be replaced by AI anytime in the near future, Nilesh Jahagirdar, VP Marketing, [x]cube LABS said.

Strategic, Critical ThinkingAutomation can remove or simplify the process of implementing tasks but it cant provide an overarching strategy that makes each task relevant. Even as the world moves towards digitization and automation, the ability to understand the context and complexities before offering solutions remains irreplaceable.

Automation can help implement tasks but its a long way from providing a strategy that makes each task relevant that fits in the bigger picture. Regardless of industry, roles that require strategic thinking will always be done by humans.

"So, jobs like solutions architect, designers, professionals providing hospitality services, and consultants having the ability to integrate systems and processes, would remain much in demand, IMHO. In essence, skills with the ability to provide superlative customer experiences would be the skills of the future, Ruchika Godha, COO, Advaiya said.

Creativity Most intelligent computers or robot cant paint like Picaso and create music like Mozart. Nobody can explain why some humans are more creative than others. So, its safe to say its near impossible for computers to replicate the spark of creativity that has led to the worlds most amazing feats.

"Automation is programmed and cannot replicate creativity which is spontaneous and requires imagination, dreaming and collective inspiration something humans are best at Rupali Kaul, Operational Head-West, Marching Sheep said.

Nilesh Jahagirdar, VP Marketing, [x]cube LABS said, While digital technologies such as AI/ML are making quite a few routine jobs redundant, there are some which cant quite be replaced owing to the complexities involved and the fact that AI evolution is not just as magical as people think it is. At its current state, its only repetitive tasks that follow the same rules over and over which can be done by AI. Psychologists, caregivers, most engineers, human resource managers, marketing strategists, and lawyers are some roles that cannot be replaced by AI anytime in the near future.

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Skills or jobs that won't be replaced by Automation, Artificial Intelligence in the future - Economic Times