How to talk to students about AI safety

The fast emerging AI technology is likely to bring about a transformation on higher education, the future career of students and the learning environment as a whole. Hence, educators need to adopt a conservative approach about generative AI, both with intentionality and care.

Having said, we are still at an early stage about the implications of AI on learning and teaching and the potential benefits and pitfalls. This guide will endeavour to address some of the educational issues and suggestions on how to discuss the safety of AI with students effectively.

How to reduce the risk of AI misuse?

It is in the best interest of both educators and students to work proactively together to understand the problems of AI misuse and find strategies to tackle them.

For starters, educators can tell students about the inherent risks of using AI in their work and the value of expressing themselves and their ability to communicate had AI been not available. Create an assessment that cannot be address by AI such as:

  • Require the students to cite real, primary sources of information by checking documents origin and to back up their claims.

  • Ask the students to relate their personal experiences in writing and how they reflect on the learning process in the class.

  • Make students work in a medium that is difficult to generate such as a visual display, video or audio recordings.

  • Tell students that their work will be checked by an AI detection tool to check any misuse of AI.

Some concerns about AI

Even the most generative AI platforms have raised red flags around personal data and copyrighted material, given the wide reach of AI and how they collect and use this data as well as the input information on their platforms.

It is therefore crucial to engage the students about these issues and take them into account when planning course activities. Encourage them to be careful when it comes to claiming copyright for anything which ChatGPT or any other AI tool has created.

Keep in mind

When discussing AI with students, be transparent and be open with students about the knowledge, or lack of it, about expectations of AI use.

Encourage students to grapple with the issues of AI systems in classroom discussions before activities and assignments that use AI in post-reflection activities.

Keep the following approaches in mind when discussing generative AI with students:

  • Be transparent about your own knowledge of AI

  • Use your knowledge of AI to inform class activities.

  • Facilitate discussion about the advantages of AI such as costs, use for course activities in your field and the society in general.

  • Collaborate with students on the use of AI in your course or for any particular assignment.

  • As you use AI tools, model curiosity, critical thinking and reflection and guide your students to follow the same principles.

In the end, because of the lack of clarity in many AI tools and the many unanswered questions, proceed with caution as you plan to facilitate AI-related activities.