Tag Archives: Experience AI

Play, pedagogy, and real-world impact: What we learned from the AI Quests webinars

Post Syndicated from Liz Eaton original https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/play-pedagogy-and-real-world-impact-what-we-learned-from-the-ai-quests-webinars/

Photo of two adult educators sitting around a table with a group of young people playing AI Quests.

How do you teach AI in a way that resonates with 11- to 14-year-olds long after the lesson ends? In two recent Experience AI webinars, we explored that question with collaborators from Google Research, Google DeepMind, and the Stanford Accelerator for Learning. During the webinars, we also showcased AI Quests, a gamified, classroom-first experience where learners use AI concepts to solve real problems.

“The AI technology you’ll experience is amazing, but it’s not magic. Success depends on the decisions you make.”

That line, delivered by Professor Sky, the in-game mentor, captures the core message of AI Quests: AI systems are built by people and shaped by human judgment at every step.

What is AI Quests?

We’ve embedded AI Quests into the Foundations of AI unit in Experience AI, our free AI literacy programme created with Google DeepMind. 

As Google Research’s Liat Ben Rafael explained, “AI Quests is a gamified experience… where students discover firsthand how AI is used in the real world to create positive impact.” Each quest is grounded in a real research programme and mirrors the AI project lifecycle you’ll recognise from our Experience AI lessons: define the problem, prepare data, train, test, deploy.

Photo of a young person playing AI Quests on a laptop. The AI Quests character Luna, can clearly be seen on the young person's screen.

The first quest, Market Marshes, asks students to help Luna, one of the central characters, to protect a riverside market from flooding. Players roam, gather candidate data (from rainfall stats to town gossip), clean it, choose relevant features, and train a model. If the model underperforms, they iterate, exactly as real AI developers would.

Emma Staves, Learning Manager at the Foundation, notes that a key moment is when learners test their model: “It’s made really clear that the data that’s being used to test the model is historic data.” That simple design choice can help you to unlock rich discussions with your learners about validation, reliability, and what counts as “accurate enough” for real decisions.

Designed around how students actually learn

Developed in collaboration with learning scientists at the Stanford Accelerator for Learning, the quests reflect what Victor Lee, Faculty Lead for AI and Education at Stanford, describes as “enduring understanding”:

“The enduring understanding is about how humans can initiate and design AI applications that can address some of humanity’s biggest unsolved challenges.”

To keep that focus, the team blends:

  • Situated learning – for example, a concrete flood scenario rather than abstract exercises
  • Pedagogical agents – characters who nudge, model, and explain
  • Embedded feedback and productive failure – learn by trying, revising, and trying again
  • Self-explanation prompts – ‘learning tickets’ that ask students to articulate what they’re doing and why

In other words, the quests are all about playing with purpose.

What teachers are seeing in the classroom

We piloted AI Quests with some teachers, including Dave Cross, Curriculum Leader for Computer Science at North Liverpool Academy, who tested the quests with his Year 7 students, before extending it to his GCSE classes:

“We see it moving forward as a really solid foundation… for that further learning.”

He also saw strong cross-curricular ties: geography colleagues spotted “massive opportunities” to use the flood quest in their own units, while broader staff discussions turned to digital citizenship, data literacy, and fairness. The cross-disciplinary nature of AI is increasingly apparent, and so AI literacy shouldn’t be limited to computing — students need to encounter AI across multiple subjects and in everyday life.

Where the research comes in: Forecasting floods days in advance

Graphic of the flooded marketplace from the Market Marshes quest on AI Quests.

The second webinar connected the classroom experience to the real project it’s modelled on: Google Research Flood Forecasting. Gila Loike, Product Manager, set the scene:

“Our research team develops AI models that predict flooding all over the world, five to seven days before the flood occurs.”

Deborah Cohen, the Research Scientist leading the team at Google Research focused on flooding, also explained that traditional models can’t easily predict floods in places with little data. However, AI can fill those gaps by combining information from rivers, weather forecasts, and satellites, to give accurate warnings around the world:

“With AI we were able to expand our coverage to the entire world.”

The results are real and practical. Accurate predictions help:

  • People stay safe by receiving flood alerts through familiar apps
  • Emergency teams plan routes and close roads in time
  • Farmers decide whether to move animals or harvest early
  • Aid organisations act sooner, delivering supplies or financial support before the flood hits
Graphic from the Market Marshes quest on AI Quests.

To make sure their models work well, the team compares predictions with real river data, where available, and with satellite images showing flooded areas. Students explore these same ideas in the AI Quest game, cleaning messy data, testing their models, and checking how accurate their results are.

“Students are really engaged by the real-world challenge,” said Emma Staves about the Market Marshes quest. “That authenticity makes learning come alive.” It helps students see how classroom ideas, like features, accuracy, bias, and model cards, connect directly to real decisions and their consequences.

Coming soon: Health quests and more languages

Graphic from the second AI Quests.

Liat also gave a sneak peek at the next quest, a health-focused story on blindness prevention. It introduces new layers — privacy, diverse data, field testing — while following the same lifecycle. More quests are in development, with additional languages planned from early 2026.

Why this matters now

The key message from both webinars is clear: AI literacy isn’t just about using technology — it’s about understanding our role in shaping it. As one Stanford researcher put it, “AI isn’t this magic thing that just happens to us. Humans decide how to use it, and how choices around data affect accuracy and fairness.”

Our goal with Experience AI is to help young people become thoughtful, creative problem-solvers who can navigate an AI-powered world with confidence and integrity — and AI Quests fits perfectly with that.

Find out more

You can watch both webinars anytime on our YouTube and LinkedIn channels

Webinar 1: LinkedIn, YouTube
Webinar 2: LinkedIn, YouTube

Explore our Experience AI resources — already used by nearly two million learners and educators to understand, question, and create with AI — to bring them and AI Quests into your classroom. You’ll find the Foundations of AI unit, alongside materials on large language models, ecosystems and AI, and AI safety, at rpf.io/experienceai-resources

The post Play, pedagogy, and real-world impact: What we learned from the AI Quests webinars appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.

Experience AI receives global recognition from UNESCO

Post Syndicated from Philip Colligan, CBE original https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/experience-ai-recognition-unesco/

I am very proud to share the news that Experience AI has been recognised as a laureate for the 2025 UNESCO King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Prize for the Use of ICT in Education.

The winners of the 2025 UNESCO King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Prize.
At the award ceremony of the 2025 UNESCO King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Prize. © Government of the Kingdom of Bahrain

What is Experience AI?

Experience AI is a free educational programme that helps teachers and students learn about artificial intelligence (AI). It was developed by the Raspberry Pi Foundation in partnership with Google DeepMind and includes lessons, classroom resources, and hands-on activities to help students develop a foundational understanding of AI technologies, their social and ethical implications, and the role that AI can play in their lives.

It is based on original research into AI literacy and highlights real-world applications of AI technologies, including through videos featuring research scientists that help to bring the lessons to life for students. 

A group of students and educators at Penang Science Cluster's launch of Experience AI in Malaysia.
A group of students and educators at the launch of Experience AI in Malaysia.

Since we launched the first Experience AI resources in April 2023, they have been used to teach over 2 million students, and that number is growing fast. 

This reach is possible thanks to a global network of Experience AI education partners who work with us to localise and translate the resources and deliver large-scale teacher training in their regions. 

UNESCO recognition

Experience AI was one of four laureates of the prestigious global Prize selected by the Director-General of UNESCO, based on recommendations from an independent, international jury. The jury commended the programme for its strong ethical foundation and wide international reach. 

This year, marking its 20th anniversary, the Prize focused on the theme ‘Preparing learners and teachers for the ethical and responsible use of artificial intelligence’.

Students in class during an Experience AI lesson.
Romanian students in class during an Experience AI lesson.

The Prize was awarded at a ceremony at the University of Bahrain attended by the Director-General of UNESCO, Ministers of Education of the Gulf Cooperation Council, and members of the Raspberry Pi Foundation and Google DeepMind teams.

I want to say a heartfelt congratulations and thank you to everyone who has worked on Experience AI so far. It has been a fantastic, collaborative effort from colleagues across the Foundation, Google DeepMind, and all of our partner organisations. 

I also want to pay tribute to all of the teachers — all over the world — who have engaged so enthusiastically with Experience AI, for helping us develop the materials, including testing them in your classrooms and providing such thoughtful feedback, and for everything you do, every day, to inspire your students. This recognition is for all of your hard work, diligence, and care. Congratulations and thank you.

Teachers in Kenya during an Experience AI teacher training event.
Teachers in Kenya during an Experience AI teacher training event.

Experience AI is provided at no cost to schools, teachers, or students thanks to generous funding from Google.org. We are also very grateful to Broadcom Foundation, which has provided additional funding to support the programme. 

What next for Experience AI? 

We are exceptionally proud to have received this recognition for Experience AI, but we aren’t complacent. Equipping all young people, and their teachers, with a foundational understanding of AI technologies is one of the most urgent challenges facing all education systems.

We have made a great start, and we know there is much more to be done. That’s why we have lots of important updates and developments coming soon, including: 

  • Updating and improving the current lessons: We are finalising an update to the resources to respond to feedback from teachers and students, including significant improvements to make them more accessible. These will be published early in 2026. 
  • Expanding the range of lessons: Alongside the updates to the existing resources, we are developing new lessons. This will include lessons designed for both younger and older learners, as well as integrated lessons that enable teachers to bring AI concepts and skills into subjects such as science, language, and the arts. 
  • Updated and improved professional development: We are also updating and improving the training that we offer to teachers, including both online courses and webinars, and in-person training delivered through the global network of education partners. 
  • AI chatbot for educators: We recently integrated a chatbot into the Experience AI website. Powered by Gemini 2.5, this is intended as a tool to help teachers navigate and understand the concepts and lessons. This is an early experiment and we’d love to get your feedback, so please give it a try and let us know what you think. 
  • Expanding the global network of partners: We currently have partners supporting teacher professional development in 25 countries, from Malaysia to Mexico. Over the coming year we will be launching partnerships in at least 15 more countries. If your organisation is interested in becoming a partner, you can let us know by filling in this form.

The post Experience AI receives global recognition from UNESCO appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.

Introducing AI Quests: A new gamified learning experience within Experience AI

Post Syndicated from Liz Eaton original https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/introducing-ai-quests-a-new-gamified-learning-experience-within-experience-ai/

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools are shaping our world in many ways. Helping young people develop AI literacy — in other words, helping them understand how AI tools work and how to use them responsibly — is essential. 

At the Raspberry Pi Foundation, we’re committed to empowering educators around the world with everything they need to teach AI confidently and help young people develop AI literacy. That’s why we developed Experience AI: a set of high-quality AI literacy resources designed in collaboration with Google DeepMind that any educator can use, no matter their level of tech knowledge.  

AI Quests

We’re excited to introduce a new addition to the Experience AI resources: AI Quests.

Enter AI Quests

Developed by Google Research in collaboration with the Stanford Accelerator for Learning, AI Quests is a browser-based learning experience that lets students step into the role of AI researchers. Through interactive, story-driven activities, they’ll explore essential AI topics such as:

  • Data preparation
  • Testing and evaluation
  • Bias in AI systems

Students will use what they learn about these topics to tackle simulated global challenges. The first quest, Market Marshes, introduces them to how AI technology can be used in flood forecasting, while upcoming quests will explore other real-world issues.

Why AI Quests matters

AI technology is frequently used but often poorly understood. AI Quests, like Experience AI more broadly, gives students practical experience of how AI technology works, and shows why it’s so important. 

Market Marshes AI Quest start screen

Here’s what sets AI Quests apart:

  • Gamified learning: Storytelling and role play turn abstract ideas into immersive experiences
  • Real-world relevance: Students see how AI technology addresses challenges like climate resilience and health equity
  • No prior knowledge required: Any teacher, regardless of subject specialism, can bring AI Quests into their classroom
  • Developed by experts: Built with Google Research and the Stanford Accelerator for Learning, content is high-quality and credible

What’s next

AI Quests is launching in English, with future plans for translations and additional quests to reach even more learners globally.

To support educators, we’re also hosting two free webinars on YouTube and LinkedIn:

  • 9 October at 4pm BST
  • 16 October at 4pm BST
AI Quests, search for data mid game screen

These sessions will walk you through AI Quests, offer classroom tips, and give you the chance to ask questions directly.

Register now on LinkedIn or subscribe on YouTube to get notified and join the live session. 

Ready to get started?

AI literacy is one of the most valuable skills young people can develop today. With this new addition to Experience AI, we’re making it even more engaging, practical, and accessible for classrooms everywhere.

Explore AI Quests in lesson 6 of our Experience AI resources.

The post Introducing AI Quests: A new gamified learning experience within Experience AI appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.

Teaching Experience AI: Lessons from educators in Mexico

Post Syndicated from Liz Eaton original https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/teaching-experience-ai-lessons-from-educators-in-mexico/

In classrooms across Mexico, a transformation is unfolding. The Experience AI programme isn’t just teaching students about artificial intelligence, it’s empowering teachers and learners to explore, question, and create with it. By equipping educators with accessible tools and sparking curiosity among students, the initiative is shaping a new generation ready to use AI responsibly and creatively.

Teacher at the front of the classroom

Educators like Guadalupe Cortes, Lilia Violeta Garvia Sanchez, Ines Martinez, and Ana Judith Zavaleta are at the forefront of this shift. Their experiences reveal just how transformative Experience AI has become.

From fear to fascination: Demystifying AI

For many, AI can feel abstract, something from science fiction. Science and math teacher Lilia Violeta Garvia Sanchez remembers that both she and her students once viewed AI as “robots that would take over the world.” Fear gave way to fascination, however, once Experience AI entered the classroom.

Through hands-on lessons, students quickly discovered AI as a practical tool rather than a threat. “I’ve seen a change in the students,” Lilia explains. “They were afraid at first, but now they’re curious and engaged.”

Technology teacher Ines Martinez admits she was also surprised: “I thought the language would be more technical or complex, but it was pleasantly accessible — and very useful.”

Equipping educators with tools that work

A defining strength of Experience AI is its adaptability. Teachers can tailor materials to fit their classrooms while still leaning on the program’s robust foundation.

Guadalupe Cortes points to the built-in glossary as a game-changer: “It was really helpful for me.” She values being able to choose what fits her teaching to keep it relevant: “I selected certain parts to connect with projects I was already running.”

Sparking critical thinking and ethical awareness

Experience AI pushes students to think deeply about the ethics and implications of AI.

In Ines’s class, students raised concerns about water use in data centres and debated how to protect their digital identities. They weren’t just learning facts, they were making connections to real-world issues.

Educator supporting young learner in the classroom

Another teacher, Ileana Beurini, described an exercise where students asked different AI models the same political question. When answers varied, they discussed bias and the importance of consulting multiple sources. In another activity, searching images of “worker” led to a conversation about gender equity in technology.

As Ines puts it: “They don’t want it to do all the thinking for them. They said it should be a support — a tool to generate better information, not to replace reasoning or reflection.”

Transforming engagement and performance

The impact on student motivation has been striking. For Ana Judith Zavaleta, the shift was clear: “They’re much more hands-on now — they don’t rely as much on textbooks or theory.” One student who typically struggled academically became one of the most enthusiastic participants, even passing where he previously failed.

Guadalupe Cortes has seen similar enthusiasm: “They’re finding a real purpose in using AI for their own benefit.” At an entrepreneurship fair, her students applied AI concepts to improve their projects, proof that these lessons extend far beyond the classroom.

A call to action for educators

The teachers’ message is unanimous: embrace AI.

“We should give it a try,” urges Lilia. “Just because we’re teachers doesn’t mean we have to know everything. The world is evolving every single day, and we need to innovate with our students so they feel motivated to keep learning.”

Young learners work on the classroom wall

For Ines, the takeaway is simple but powerful: “Take the risk — really, take the chance to learn. Just like the internet became essential, AI will become part of our daily lives and necessary for all areas of teaching — and life itself.”

More than just a set of resources

Experience AI is more than a set of resources, it’s a movement preparing students to navigate the future with curiosity, critical thinking, and ethical awareness. By igniting minds in Mexico, it’s helping to cultivate responsible digital citizens who will shape not just their classrooms, but the world beyond them.

For more information about Experience AI, visit our website: rpf.io/experienceai

For more information about our global Experience AI partner in Mexico, visit: educacionparacompartir.org

The post Teaching Experience AI: Lessons from educators in Mexico appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.

Hello World podcast: What does AI education look like around the world?

Post Syndicated from Liz Eaton original https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/hello-world-podcast-what-does-ai-education-look-like-around-the-world/

In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, AI literacy is becoming as fundamental as traditional reading and writing. The latest episode of the Hello World podcast explores this crucial topic, bringing together experts from Kenya, Lithuania, and Malaysia to discuss the current state of AI literacy in their countries. Together, they shed light on the challenges and immense potential of AI education globally.

HW Podcast Thumbnail: AI education: Global perspectives

This episode features a conversation led by Ben Garside (Raspberry Pi Foundation), with contributions from Leonida Soi (Raspberry Pi Foundation, Kenya), Aimy Lee (Penang Science Cluster, Malaysia), and Monika Katkutė-Gelžinė (Vedliai, Lithuania). All are key collaborators in the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s AI literacy programme, Experience AI.

Watch here

The digital literacy gap

One of the most striking takeaways from the conversation is the universal excitement surrounding AI, coupled with a significant need for foundational digital literacy. As Leonida explains:

“There’s an excitement about AI literacy, both from the learners and the teachers… However, one thing to look into is, we still have low digital literacy. As much as we are bringing in AI, if it is not bundled up together with digital literacy, then there is also misuse.” 

Leonida Soi, Learning Manager, Raspberry Pi Foundation

This highlights a crucial point: simply introducing AI tools isn’t enough. A solid understanding of digital fundamentals is essential for responsible and effective use of AI.

Different contexts, shared challenges

The discussion also reveals the varying approaches to AI education in different countries. Monika shares her experience in Lithuania:

“We’ve been teaching AI for the last 5 years… I see a lot of opportunity in it, but a lot of challenges not to overburden teachers with the noise and changes.”

Her insight highlights the ongoing need for teacher training and sustainable pedagogical strategies, particularly in a field that evolves so quickly.

AI literacy beyond computer science

A key theme throughout the podcast is the importance of integrating AI literacy beyond traditional computer science classrooms. As Leonida emphasises:

“It’s time that AI literacy is looked at from a broader view, not just in computing… something that cuts across all the learning areas.”

This sentiment is echoed by Monika, who suggests:

“I feel like the entire education system needs to go through an AI filter and come out of it with a bit more efficiency, with a bit more understanding, so it lives in a 21st-century AI world. And I see AI as a form of, you know, building and also as a co-worker for everyone in the future.”

Monica Katkute-Gelzine, Vedliai, Experience AI global partner, Lithuania.

The vision of AI as a “co-worker” for all, empowering young people rather than replacing them, offers a powerful perspective for future education.

Addressing the digital divide

Equity is another critical issue, particularly in rural areas. Aimy highlights the ongoing challenge of access:

“The digital divide is in the access to devices, as well as access to high-speed internet connections… but the other thing is also in terms of trained teachers as well.”

Leonida adds that in Kenya there’s a need for unplugged activities to give students an idea of what the world is doing, so that we can start to bridge that gap.

These insights highlight the need for equitable access and innovative teaching methods to ensure no one is left behind.

Encouragement for educators: start small, support each other

For teachers who might feel overwhelmed by the prospect of teaching AI, the advice is clear and encouraging. Aimy suggests:

“Start small, cover one topic at a time, one concept at a time. Don’t feel the need to cover everything all at the same time.”

Aimy Lee, Penang Science Cluster, Experience AI global partner, Malaysia.

Leonida advocates for the power of community, suggesting a “community of practice where [teachers] can share amongst each other and where they can encourage others.”

Building a network of support and shared resources is key as educators take their first steps into teaching AI.

Listen now

This episode of the Hello World podcast is a powerful reminder that AI literacy is not just a skill, but a mindset that needs to be nurtured across all subjects and communities. It also underscores that the commitment to prepare the next generation for an AI-powered world is global.

Listen to the full episode of the Hello World podcast to learn more about the global state of AI literacy and gain practical insights for your classroom.

Listen to the full episode

Learn more about Experience AI

The Experience AI programme is a collaboration between the Raspberry Pi Foundation and Google DeepMind to help young people and educators understand and engage with artificial intelligence. Through free, classroom-ready resources, professional development for teachers, and global partnerships, the programme aims to make AI literacy accessible to all, regardless of geography or background. By supporting educators and inspiring students, Experience AI is helping to prepare the next generation to thrive in a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence.

Find out more about Experience AI and how it can support you to bring AI literacy skills to your learners.

The post Hello World podcast: What does AI education look like around the world? appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.

Igniting innovation: How Experience AI is empowering teachers and students across Kenya

Post Syndicated from Victor Murithi original https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/experience-ai-is-empowering-teachers-and-students-across-kenya/

This blog post is written by Victor Murithi, Communications and Media Consultant at Young Scientists Kenya, one of our global partners for Experience AI in Kenya.

When over 100 teachers from across Kenya gathered at Kangaru High School in Embu County for the Kenya Science and Engineering Fair Nationals in April, few anticipated just how transformative a two-day workshop could be. Delivered by the Experience AI Young Scientists Kenya (YSK) team, with support from the Raspberry Pi Foundation, the training sparked more than curiosity — it sparked a shift in mindset.

This wasn’t just about introducing new tools: it was about empowering teachers to confidently lead their students into an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven future.

Students in a classroom learn about Experience AI.

National reach and local impact

What began as a plan to train just 40 teachers quickly grew into something much bigger. By the time the workshop kicked off, 104 teachers from over 80 schools across 37 counties in Kenya, had registered and participated — nearly tripling the initial target.

This overwhelming interest confirmed a powerful insight: teachers are eager to understand AI, not only to better prepare their students for the future, but also for their own professional growth.

The workshop’s curriculum didn’t just focus on technical skills, it aimed to create confidence, clarity, and community among the attendees — key ingredients for successfully integrating AI into teaching and learning.

“Helping teachers move past their fear of AI and understand its potential is incredibly powerful. Because AI is the future, and through this training, we’re reaching the minds that will shape it,” explained Lucy Mwaniki, AI Community Trainer at YSK.

Practical skills, real outcomes

As part of the training, the attendees completed interactive worksheets, tested basic machine learning models, and sat a final comprehension test, something they found both validating and motivational.

“We were able to do the summative test… which turned out to be a very effective way of us understanding how in-depth and how well they grasped the knowledge,” says Lucy Mwaniki.

In one standout session, teachers collaboratively brainstormed ways AI could address national educational challenges. Ideas included models to assist students in selecting academic pathways within Kenya’s Competency Based Curriculum (CBC). Several teachers also successfully built working models, demonstrating the potential of applied learning. 

“It was a very eye-opening session… some of the teachers were able to create a very basic model, which was a wonderful experience for them,” Lucy Mwaniki explains. 

What made this training exceptional was its immediate applicability and long-term vision. By the end of two days, teachers weren’t just AI-aware — they were AI-ready, with many already starting to explore how AI tools could support entrepreneurship, lesson planning, and personalised learning pathways.

Students in a classroom setting; two of them are using a laptop to learn about AI.

Celebrating our achievements and impact 

At the close of the training, each teacher received a Certificate of Participation, recognising their commitment to professional development and their new capacity to bring AI into the classroom. The awarding of certificates added a sense of accomplishment and pride, reinforcing that teachers are key drivers of technological transformation in education.

And the impact of the training was measurable:

  • 95% of teachers agreed that the training increased their knowledge and confidence to teach AI concepts
  • 88% of teachers agreed that the training was high quality and useful for preparing them to teach the Experience AI lessons

But it doesn’t end there, as Vanessa Inziani, Head of Programs at YSK, explains, “Our commitment doesn’t end with the training — we continue to support educators with resources, mentorship, and follow-up to ensure success in delivering the program in the classroom.”

Looking ahead towards a promising AI journey

With the rapidly evolving digital landscape, AI is no longer a distant concept — it’s a present-day classroom necessity. Yet, introducing AI into schools isn’t just about technical literacy; it’s about confidence, clarity, and community and the approach the Young Scientist Kenya team and Experience AI delivered during the two-day training is anchored in this belief. 

As AI continues to shape the global education landscape, programs like Experience AI provide the bridge needed to equip teachers, inspire students, and future-proof education systems. The Kangaru High School session was not a one-off — it was a catalyst for systemic change. 

Experience AI is scaling. As it expands across Kenya and beyond, the benefits are clear:

  • Empowered educators who gain confidence and skills to integrate AI in their teaching
  • Future-ready students who grasp foundational AI concepts and their real-world applications
  • Sustainable impact as trained teachers go on to influence thousands of learners in their communities

The journey from fear to fluency starts with a single step, a willingness for us all to explore what’s possible. Together, we can equip educators, inspire students, and shape Kenya’s future, one AI-literate classroom at a time. 

About Experience AI

Experience AI is an AI literacy programme, co-developed by the Raspberry Pi Foundation and Google DeepMind, that teaches students aged 11 to 14 about AI and machine learning. Thanks to funding from Google.org, Young Scientists Kenya has partnered with the Raspberry Pi Foundation to provide free training to Kenyan educators, equipping them with the skills they need to effectively deliver the programme in their settings. They are one of two global partners working with the Raspberry Pi Foundation in Kenya.

You can find out more about the programme on our website: rpf.io/expai-ysk-blogpost

The post Igniting innovation: How Experience AI is empowering teachers and students across Kenya appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.

Bridging the divide: Connecting global communities with Experience AI

Post Syndicated from Katherine Leadbetter original https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/bridging-the-divide-connecting-global-communities-with-experience-ai/

From smart devices to workplace tools, AI is becoming part of everyday life and a major part of how people are thinking about the future — raising big questions about access, skills, and readiness.

As governments around the world create AI strategies for the decade ahead, many are seeing an urgent need to address the large gap between how AI tools are already impacting jobs and people’s lives, and making sure young people have the chance to gain the skills and knowledge to keep up with this rapid pace of technological change. This gap is larger still when it comes to opportunities for educationally underserved communities.

A group of students and educators holding an Experience AI poster.

That’s why we’re excited to share how Experience AI, our AI literacy programme, is helping organisations around the world create these much-needed opportunities for young people.

The value of a global network

Experience AI was co-developed in 2022 by us and industry experts at Google DeepMind with a clear mission: to equip teachers with free, accessible, easy-to-use classroom resources that build AI literacy from the ground up. The programme offers a suite of materials to help students understand real-world applications of AI, the basics of machine learning, and the ethical considerations around these technologies.

A picture of Philip Colligan delivering a talk.

In 2023, we started building an international Experience AI network by collaborating with a group of our existing educational partners. We saw a huge amount of interest and received very positive feedback, and through our partnerships we reached an estimated one million young people. In late 2024, with support from Google.org, we tripled the size of our Experience AI partner network to 21, with new organisations joining from across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. In this way, we aim to reach an additional 2.3 million young people by December 2026, helping them to gain the knowledge and skills to confidently engage with AI in an ever-changing world.

Each partner in the Experience AI network is a unique educational organisation looking to create lasting social change. Through their local knowledge and networks, we can present Experience AI to educators and students in a way that is engaging and relevant for local communities. 

A group of students participating in an Experience AI session.

Partners help us to adapt and translate our resources, all while making sure that the core pedagogy and design principles of Experience AI are preserved. Just as importantly, these organisations train thousands of teachers on how to use the materials, providing educators with free support. With their work, they reach communities that otherwise may have never had the opportunity to learn about AI.

We asked some of our partners to share their insights on the impact Experience AI is having on the teachers and young people in their communities.

Building communities

The Latvian Safer Internet Centre (LSIC), an initiative of our partner, the Latvian Internet Association (LIA), is dedicated to helping young people protect themselves online, and to preparing them for a fast-changing digital economy. As an Experience AI partner, they aim to train 850 teachers and support 43,000 students to build a strong foundation in AI literacy through the programme.

“We hope to spark a cultural shift in how AI is […] taught in Latvian schools. Our goal is for AI literacy to become a natural part of digital competence education, not an optional extra.”

A woman is delivering a presentation about Experience AI.

Based in Riga, the team is travelling to 18 different regions across Latvia to bring in-person professional development to teachers, including those in rural communities far from major cities. By meeting teachers where they are, the LIA are creating invaluable networks for learning and support between communities. Through hands-on training, they are also supporting teachers to bring Experience AI into their own classroom, creating examples which are suited for their learners.

“We chose an in-person training model because it fosters a more collaborative and engaging environment, especially for teachers who are new to AI. Many educators, particularly those who are less confident with digital tools, benefit from direct interaction, real-time discussions, and the chance to ask questions in a supportive setting.” 

As an Experience AI partner, the Latvian Internet Association is not just delivering content but working to strengthen digital competency across the country and ensure that no teacher or student is left behind in Latvia’s AI journey. 

One teacher shares: “The classroom training was truly valuable: it gave us the chance to exchange ideas and reflect on our diverse experiences. Hearing different perspectives was enriching, and I’m glad we’re shaping the future of our schools together.”

“AI is for everyone”

EdCamp Ukraine’s mission is to unite educators and help them to grow. Operating from their main base in Kharkiv, near the Eastern border and the frontline of the ongoing war in Ukraine, they see AI as both a tool for new technological breakthroughs and as something that can help build a fairer, more efficient, and resilient society.

“We firmly believe AI should not only be an object of study — it must become a tool for amplifying human potential. AI should also not be a privilege, but a resource for everyone. We believe the Experience AI programme can truly transform education from the bottom up.”

A man is delivering a presentation about Experience AI to a group of educators.

Within their community of 50,000 teachers, EdCamp Ukraine ensures that every educator, regardless of their living conditions or where they work, can access high-quality, relevant, and accessible support. For the organisation, the ongoing situation in Ukraine means being flexible with planning, preparing for a range of different outcomes, and being ready to pivot delivery to different locations or to an online setting when needed. These same considerations apply to EdCamp Ukraine’s teacher community, who need to be ready to adapt their lessons for any scenario.

“Recognising these war-related challenges helps us see the bigger picture and always have contingency plans in place. We think ahead and develop flexible scenarios.”

Two educators looking at a laptop screen.

This year, the team piloted Experience AI through their community of trainers, who, when they’re not training, are busy teaching in the classroom. Teacher Yuliia shared how her students valued the opportunity to be creators, rather than just users of technology:

“One student, who is an active AI user, kept silent during the lesson. I thought he wasn’t interested, but during the reflection he shared a lot of positive feedback and expressed his gratitude. Other students said it was important that they weren’t just told about AI — they were using it, creating images, and working with apps.”

A group of educators looking at a laptop screen.

EdCamp Ukraine plans to roll out training for Ukrainian teachers this autumn, reaching 2,000 teachers and 40,000 young people by the end of next year. 

More countries, more classrooms 

Two new partners in Nigeria are about to join the Experience AI network, and there are many more organisations in more countries coming soon. As our partner network continues to grow, we are excited to reach more communities and give more young people around the world the chance to build AI literacy skills and knowledge. 

You can find out more about Experience AI on the website. If your organisation is interested in partnering with us to deliver Experience AI, please register your interest and we will let you know about opportunities to work with us.

The post Bridging the divide: Connecting global communities with Experience AI appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.

Insights from a teacher trainer: Schools are ready to engage in AI — what they need is support

Post Syndicated from Dan Shilling original https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/insights-from-a-teacher-trainer-experience-ai/

Today’s blog post is written by Dan Shilling, Programmes Manager at Parent Zone, one of our global partners for Experience AI.

“Educators have been struggling to find resources and support to teach young people about AI.”

This is something I’ve heard a lot when delivering Experience AI teacher training through Parent Zone’s partnership with the Raspberry Pi Foundation. 

An educator is delivering a presentation during a workshop.

Our partnership with the Raspberry Pi Foundation

Experience AI is an artificial intelligence (AI) literacy programme, co-developed by the Raspberry Pi Foundation and Google DeepMind, that teaches students aged 11 to 14 about AI and machine learning. Thanks to funding from Google.org, Parent Zone has partnered with the Raspberry Pi Foundation to provide free training to UK educators, equipping them with the skills they need to effectively deliver the programme in their settings.

The Experience AI resources help educators, including those from non-technical backgrounds, to deliver impactful lessons on AI and machine learning. Lesson resources span technical elements (e.g. data-driven models, bias) and practical elements (e.g. careers, safety).

Our face-to-face and virtual training sessions show teachers how to use the programme resources, as well as helping them feel more confident in the subject matter.  

The sessions also give me an opportunity to hear from teachers about how AI is being used and taught in classrooms, and the opportunities and challenges it’s creating.

A group of educators at a workshop.

Curiosity and experimentation

AI has a major presence in many schools now. 

Teachers tell me they’re seeing students use AI to support their homework. One teacher spoke about a student using a chatbot to help break down a maths problem, describing it like “having a tutor at home.”

Teachers are also using AI themselves to assist in their work — for example, to plan lessons, generate activities, and get ideas on how to explain complex topics more clearly. 

Openness to experimentation is clearly there. 

Educators at a workshop.

Addressing concerns

For all the benefits of AI, teachers also have concerns about it. 

Some have told me their students have no idea how easily these tools can be used to mislead or manipulate, through disinformation and deepfakes, for example. 

This is why Experience AI resources are meeting educator needs. Not only do they explain how AI and machine learning actually work, but they also address many pressing concerns around AI, from responsible usage and media literacy, to how data bias can affect the final output.   

Positive changes

In all the workshops, what stands out to me most is how ready teachers are to engage. They want to understand more. They want to help their students make sense of AI, and use it positively. 

They’re grateful for practical, grounded training and support that doesn’t assume they’ve all got computer science degrees. After one of our sessions, a teacher said:

“The better we educate ourselves, the better we’re able to help young people. It’s important because it’s affecting their day-to-day lives. We can help them navigate AI platforms, but in a safe way.”

Educators at a workshop.

Join a network of AI-ready educators

If you’re a UK secondary school teacher, you can sign up for free training from Parent Zone, with dates available until November 2025. You can choose from:

For more information about Experience AI, visit our website.

The post Insights from a teacher trainer: Schools are ready to engage in AI — what they need is support appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.

Impact of Experience AI in Kenya

Post Syndicated from Paul Akwabi original https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/impact-of-experience-ai-in-kenya/

Today’s blog post is written by Paul Akwabi, Executive Director at Tech Kidz Africa, part of our global partner network for Experience AI.

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape industries and redefine how we work and learn, it is essential that Kenyan educators are equipped with the knowledge and skills to introduce AI concepts to their learners.

In Kenya, the education system has taken significant steps towards digital literacy through the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC), which has introduced young learners to coding using Scratch and laid a foundation for tech skills. However, AI is yet to be formally integrated into the curriculum. This has presented an opportunity to prepare teachers to integrate AI into their lessons and inspire the next generation of innovators.

An educator with students at the Experience AI workshop.

How Experience AI has increased digital literacy

Our partnership with the Raspberry Pi Foundation has been a vital element in the retooling of Kenyan educators. Using the Foundation’s Experience AI resources, which they co-developed with Google DeepMind, we have equipped 441 teachers with practical AI and machine learning skills through hands-on training sessions in five counties: Mombasa, Nairobi, Taita Taveta, Meru, and Nakuru.

Our work to empower young learners with coding, robotics, and AI skills has positioned us as a key driver of digital literacy in Kenya. The Experience AI materials have helped us take key next steps — we’ve scaled up AI education, reached more teachers, and further democratised access to emerging technologies, supporting our goal of ensuring that no child is left behind in the digital revolution. 

To make the delivery of our training sessions as smooth as possible, we’ve joined hands with county governments and local education authorities like the Teachers Service Commission (TSC). In all the counties we’ve been working in, the TSC are actively promoting digital literacy among teachers and have made sure we equip teachers with the understanding and skills to use AI effectively. 

Learners using laptops during the Experience AI session.

Through our expert trainers, we’ve been able to offer hands-on introductions to AI concepts, provide opportunities for practical problem-solving with machine learning models, and expose participants to real-world AI applications. A great example of the work we’ve done is the training we gave to teachers in Meru County, where they learned to create an AI model that recognises certain food types in supermarkets. Later, in group sessions, participants developed their own diverse and innovative AI models. One group, for instance, designed an AI model for dishwashing that detects dirty dishes and automates the water removal process.

Feedback from training

Through the Experience AI training sessions, many educators gained new confidence and skills, and have already started to integrate AI into their classrooms. 

“I am grateful for the invaluable skills gained through the Experience AI training. The knowledge I’ve acquired will not only enhance my ability to conduct research but also empower me to teach my students how to effectively use AI. This is just the beginning. I look forward to building on this foundation and exploring even greater possibilities with AI.” — Mr. Githinji, Meru, Kenya

An educator with students at the Experience AI workshop.

In any aspect of life, learning is about shifting perspectives, nurturing curiosity, and embracing new possibilities — this is what drives innovation. The Experience AI training in Kenya has exemplified this, transforming how we think and approach technology.

“I am glad that my county has been considered in this training. I challenge the teachers here to make use of these useful resources to spice up learning in the classroom. I was once a mathematics teacher and I wish I had technology to teach. Thank you Tech Kidz Africa, Raspberry Pi Foundation and Google DeepMind for empowering these teachers.” — His Excellency Andrew Mwadime, Governor Taita Taveta County

The overwhelming enthusiasm from educators and learners is evidence that the Experience AI lessons have been highly impactful. Teachers have expressed a strong desire for more training opportunities to support them in equipping students for the future. Many of the teachers have also expressed how the training has demystified AI, enhancing accessibility and giving their daily teaching added relevance. In addition, there is a clear call to scale up these efforts to reach more teachers across the counties in Kenya to ensure that AI education is widespread and inclusive.

A group of students holding the Experience AI certificates.

Experience AI is bringing a unique AI experience to teachers, helping ease fears that AI might render them obsolete or take away their jobs. Educators are excited to explore how AI algorithms work and how they can train them for the benefit of both themselves and their students. They recognise that AI can help create an equal playing field, offering tools worldwide that can showcase and accentuate their talents, capabilities, and skill sets.

If you’re interested in finding out more about the Experience AI resources, visit the Experience AI website.

The post Impact of Experience AI in Kenya appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.

Experience AI: The story so far

Post Syndicated from Fiona Coventry original https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/experience-ai-the-story-so-far/

In April 2023, we launched our first Experience AI resources, developed in partnership with Google DeepMind to support educators to engage their students in learning about the topic of AI. Since then, the Experience AI programme has grown rapidly, reaching thousands of educators all over the world. Read on to find out more about the impact of our resources, and what we are learning.

The Experience AI resources

The Experience AI resources are designed to help educators introduce AI and AI safety to 11- to 14-year-olds. They consist of:

  • Foundations of AI: a comprehensive unit of six lessons including lesson plans, slide decks, activities, videos, and more to support educators to introduce AI and machine learning to young people
  • Two standalone lessons:
    • Large language models (LLMs): a lesson designed to help young people discover how large language models work, their benefits, and why their outputs are not always reliable
    • Ecosystems and AI — Biology: a lesson providing an opportunity for young people to explore how AI applications are supporting animal conservation
  • AI safety: a set of resources with a flexible design to support educators in a range of settings to equip young people with the knowledge and skills to responsibly and safely navigate the challenges associated with AI

We also offer a free online course, Understanding AI for educators, to help educators prepare to teach about AI.

International expansion

The launch of Experience AI came at an important time: AI technologies are playing an ever-growing role in our everyday lives, so it is crucial for young people to gain the understanding and skills they need to critically engage with these technologies. While the resources were initially designed for use by educators in the UK, they immediately attracted interest from educators across the world, as well as individuals wanting to learn about AI. The resources have now been downloaded over 325,000 times by people from over 160 countries. This includes downloads from over 7000 educators worldwide, who will collectively reach an estimated 1.2 million young people.

Photo of an educator teaching an Experience AI lesson.

Thanks to funding from Google DeepMind and Google.org, we have also been working with partners from across the globe to localise and translate the resources for learners and educators in their countries, and provide training to support local educators to deliver the lessons. The educational resources are now available in up to 15 languages, and to date, we have trained over 100 representatives from 20 international partner organisations, who will go on to train local educators. Five of these organisations have begun onward training already, collectively training over 1500 local educators so far.

The impact of Experience AI

The Experience AI resources have been well received by students and educators. Based on responses to our follow-up surveys, in countries where we have partners: 

  • 95% of educators agreed that the Experience AI sessions have increased their students’ knowledge of AI concepts 
  • 90% of young people (including young people in formal and non-formal education settings and learning independently) indicated that they better understand what AI and machine learning are
Photo of a young person learning about AI on a laptop.

This is backed up by qualitative feedback from surveys and interviews.

“Students’ perception and understanding of AI has improved and corrected. They realised they can contribute and be a part of the [development], instead of only users.” – Noorlaila, educator, SMK Cyberjaya, Malaysia

“[Students] found it interesting in the sense that it’s relevant information and they didn’t know what information was used for training models.” – Teacher, Liceul Tehnologic “Crisan” Criscior, Romania

“Based on my knowledge and learning about AI, I now appreciate the definition of AI as well as its implementation.” – Student, Changamwe JSS, Kenya

Photo of a group of educators participating in an Experience AI teacher training event in Kenya.

The training and resources also support educators to feel more confident to teach about AI:

  • 93% of international partner representatives who participated in our training agreed that the training increased their knowledge of AI concepts
  • 88% of educators receiving onward training by our international partners agreed that the training increased their confidence to teach AI concepts
  • 87% of educator respondents from our ‘Understanding AI for educators’ online course agreed that the course was useful for supporting young people

“It was a wonderful experience for me to join this workshop. Truly I was able to learn a lot about AI and I feel more confident now to teach the kids back at school about this new knowledge.” – Nur, educator, SMK Bandar Tasek Mutiara, trained by our partner Penang Science Cluster, Malaysia

“This was one of the best information sessions I’ve been to! So, so helpful!” – Meagan, educator, University of Alberta, trained by our partner Digital Moment, Canada

“The layout of the course in terms of content structuring is amazing. I love the discussion forum and the insightful yet empathetic responses by the course moderators on the discussion board. Honestly, I am really glad I started my AI in education journey with you.” – Priyanka, head teacher (primary level), United Arab Emirates, online course participant

What are we learning?

We are committed to continually improving our resources based on feedback from users. A recent review of feedback from educators highlighted key aspects of the resources that educators value most, as well as some challenges educators are facing and possible areas for improvement. For example, educators particularly like the interactive aspects, the clear structure and explanations, and the videos featuring professionals from the AI industry. We are continuing to look for ways we can better support educators to adapt the content and language to better support students in their context, fit Experience AI into their school timetables, and overcome technical barriers. 

We value feedback on our resources and will continue to highlight the importance of AI education in schools and work with partners across the globe to adapt our resources for different contexts.

Get involved

If you would like to try out our Experience AI resources, head to experience-ai.org, where you can find our free resources and online course, as well as information about local partners in your area.

The post Experience AI: The story so far appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.

Teaching AI safety: Lessons from Romanian educators

Post Syndicated from Elena Coman original https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/teaching-ai-safety-lessons-from-romanian-educators/

This blog post has been written by our Experience AI partners in Romania, Asociatia Techsoup, who piloted our new AI safety resources with Romanian teachers at the end of 2024.

Last year, we had the opportunity to pedagogically test the new three resources on AI safety and see first-hand the transformative effect they have on teachers and students. Here’s what we found.

Students in class.

Romania struggles with the digital skills gap

To say the internet is ubiquitous in Romania is an understatement: Romania has one of the fastest internets in the world (11th place), an impressive mobile internet penetration (86% of the population), and Romania is leading Central and Eastern Europe in terms of percentage of population that is online (89% of the entire population). Unsurprisingly, most of Romania’s internet users are also social media users. 

When you combine that with recent national initiatives, such as

  • The introduction of Information Technology and Informatics in the middle-school curriculum in 2017 as a compulsory subject
  • A Digital Agenda as a national strategy since 2015 
  • Allocation of over 20% of its most recent National Recovery and Resilience Fund for digital transition

one might expect a similar lead in digital skills, both basic and advanced.

But only 28% of the population, well below the 56% EU average, and just 47% of young people between 16 and 24 have basic digital skills — the lowest percentage in the European Union. 

Findings from the latest International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS, 2023)  underscore the urgent need to improve young people’s digital skills. Just 4% of students in Romania were scored at level 3 of 4, meaning they can demonstrate the capacity to work independently when using computers as information gathering and management tools, and are able, for example, to recognise that the credibility of web‐based information can be influenced by the identity, expertise, and motives of the people who create, publish, and share it.

Students use a computer in class.

Furthermore, 33% of students were assessed as level 1, while a further 40% of students did not even reach the minimum level set out in the ICILS, which means that they are unable to demonstrate even basic operational skills with computers or an understanding of computers as tools for completing simple tasks. For example, they can’t use computers to perform routine research and communication tasks under explicit instruction, and can’t manage simple content creation, such as entering text or images into pre‐existing templates.

Why we wanted to pilot the Experience AI safety resources

Add AI — and particularly generative AI — to this mix, and it spells huge trouble for educational systems unprepared for the fast rate of AI adoption by their students. Teachers need to be given the right pedagogical tools and support to address these new disruptions and the AI-related challenges that are adding to the existing post-pandemic ones.

This is why we at Asociația Techsoup have been enthusiastically supporting Romanian teachers to deliver the Experience AI curriculum created by the Raspberry Pi Foundation and Google DeepMind. We have found it to be the best pedagogical support that prepares students to fully understand AI and to learn how to use machine learning to solve real-world problems.

Testing the resources

Last year, we had the opportunity to pedagogically test the new three resources on AI Safety and see first-hand the transformative effect they have on teachers and students.

Students in class.

We worked closely with 8 computer science teachers in 8 Romanian schools from rural and small urban areas, reaching approximately 340 students between the ages of 13 and 18.

Before the teachers used the resources in the classroom, we worked with them in online community meetings and one-to-one phone conversations to help them review the available lesson plans, videos, and activity guides, to familiarise themselves with the structure, and to plan how to adapt the sessions to their classroom context. 

In December 2024, the teachers delivered the resources to their students. They guided students through key topics in AI safety, including understanding how to protect their data, critically evaluating data to spot fake news, and how to use AI tools responsibly. Each session incorporated a dynamic mix of teaching methods, including short videos and presentations delivering core messages, unplugged activities to reinforce understanding, and structured discussions to encourage critical thinking and reflection. 

Gathering feedback from users

We then interviewed all the teachers to understand their challenges in delivering such a new curriculum and we also observed two of the lessons. We took time to discuss with students and gather in-depth feedback on their learning experiences, perspectives on AI safety, and their overall engagement with the activities, in focus groups and surveys.

Feedback gathered in this pilot was then incorporated into the resources and recommendations given to teachers as part of the AI safety materials.

Teachers’ perspectives on the resources

It became obvious quite fast for both us and our teachers that the AI safety resources cover a growing and unaddressed need: to prepare our students for the ubiquitous presence of AI tools, which are on the road to becoming as ubiquitous as the internet itself.

A teacher and students in class.

Teachers evaluated the resources as very effective, giving them the opportunity to have authentic and meaningful conversations with their students about the world we live in. The format of the lessons was engaging — one of the teachers was so enthusiastic that she actually managed to keep students away from their phones for the whole lesson. 

They also appreciated the pedagogical quality of the resources, especially the fact that everything is ready to use in class and that they could access them for free. In interviews, they also appreciated that they themselves also learnt a lot from the lessons:

“For me it was a wake-up call. I was living in my bubble, in which I don’t really use these tools that much. But the world we live in is no longer the world I knew. … So such a lesson also helps us to learn and to discover the children in another context, – Carmen Melinte, a computer science teacher at the Colegiul Național Grigore Moisil in the small city of Onești, in north-east Romania, one of the EU regions with the greatest poverty risk.

What our students think about the resources

Students enjoyed discussing real-world scenarios and admitted that they don’t really have adults around whom they can talk to about the AI tools they use. They appreciated the interactive activities where they worked in pairs or groups and the games where they pretended to be creators of AI apps, thinking about safety features they could implement:

“I had never questioned AI, as long as it did my homework,” said one student in our focus groups, where the majority of students admitted that they are already using large language models (LLMs) for most of their homework.

“I really liked that I found out what is behind that ‘Accept all’ and now I think twice before giving my data,” – Student at the end of the ‘Your data and AI’ activities.

“Activities put me in a situation where I had to think from the other person’s shoes and think twice before sharing my personal data,” commented another student.

Good starting point

This is a good first step: there is an acute need for conversations between young people and adults around AI tools, how to think about them critically, and how to use them safely. School is the right place to start these conversations and activities, as teachers are still trusted by most Romanian students to help them understand the world.

Students use a computer in class.

But to be able to do that, we need to be serious about equipping teachers with pedagogically sound resources that they can use in class, as well as training them, supporting them, and making sure that most of their time is dedicated to teaching, and not administration. It might seem a slow process, but it is the best way to help our students become responsible, ethical and accountable digital citizens.

We are deeply grateful to the brave, passionate teachers in our community who gave the AI safety resources a try and of course to our partners at the Raspberry Pi Foundation for giving us the opportunity to lead this pilot.

If you are a teacher anywhere in the world, give them a try today to celebrate Safer Internet Day: rpf.io/aisafetyromania

The post Teaching AI safety: Lessons from Romanian educators appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.

Helping young people navigate AI safely

Post Syndicated from Mac Bowley original https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/helping-young-people-navigate-ai-safely/

AI safety and Experience AI

As our lives become increasingly intertwined with AI-powered tools and systems, it’s more important than ever to equip young people with the skills and knowledge they need to engage with AI safely and responsibly. AI literacy isn’t just about understanding the technology — it’s about fostering critical conversations on how to integrate AI tools into our lives while minimising potential harm — otherwise known as ‘AI safety’.

The UK AI Safety Institute defines AI safety as: “The understanding, prevention, and mitigation of harms from AI. These harms could be deliberate or accidental; caused to individuals, groups, organisations, nations or globally; and of many types, including but not limited to physical, psychological, social, or economic harms.”

As a result of this growing need, we’re thrilled to announce the latest addition to our AI literacy programme, Experience AI —  ‘AI safety: responsibility, privacy, and security’. Co-developed with Google DeepMind, this comprehensive suite of free resources is designed to empower 11- to 14-year-olds to understand and address the challenges of AI technologies. Whether you’re a teacher, youth leader, or parent, these resources provide everything you need to start the conversation.

Linking old and new topics

AI technologies are providing huge benefits to society, but as they become more prevalent we cannot ignore the challenges AI tools bring with them. Many of the challenges aren’t new, such as concerns over data privacy or misinformation, but AI systems have the potential to amplify these issues.

Digital image depicting computer science related elements.

Our resources use familiar online safety themes — like data privacy and media literacy — and apply AI concepts to start the conversation about how AI systems might change the way we approach our digital lives.

Each session explores a specific area:

  • Your data and AI: How data-driven AI systems use data differently to traditional software and why that changes data privacy concerns
  • Media literacy in the age of AI: The ease of creating believable, AI-generated content and the importance of verifying information
  • Using AI tools responsibly: Encouraging critical thinking about how AI is marketed and understanding personal and developer responsibilities

Each topic is designed to engage young people to consider both their own interactions with AI systems and the ethical responsibilities of developers.

Designed to be flexible

Our AI safety resources have flexibility and ease of delivery at their core, and each session is built around three key components:

  1. Animations: Each session begins with a concise, engaging video introducing the key AI concept using sound pedagogy — making it easy to deliver and effective. The video then links the AI concept to the online safety topic and opens threads for thought and conversation, which the learners explore through the rest of the activities. 
  2. Unplugged activities: These hands-on, screen-free activities — ranging from role-playing games to thought-provoking challenges — allow learners to engage directly with the topics.
  3. Discussion questions: Tailored for various settings, these questions help spark meaningful conversations in classrooms, clubs, or at home.

Experience AI has always been about allowing everyone — including those without a technical background or specialism in computer science — to deliver high-quality AI learning experiences, which is why we often use videos to support conceptual learning. 

Digital image featuring two computer screens. One screen seems to represent errors, or misinformation. The other depicts a person potentially plotting something.

In addition, we want these sessions to be impactful in many different contexts, so we included unplugged activities so that you don’t need a computer room to run them! There is also advice on shortening the activities or splitting them so you can deliver them over two sessions if you want. 

The discussion topics provide a time-efficient way of exploring some key implications with learners, which we think will be more effective in smaller groups or more informal settings. They also highlight topics that we feel are important but may not be appropriate for every learner, for example, the rise of inappropriate deepfake images, which you might discuss with a 14-year-old but not an 11-year-old.

A modular approach for all contexts

Our previous resources have all followed a format suitable for delivery in a classroom, but for these resources, we wanted to widen the potential contexts in which they could be used. Instead of prescribing the exact order to deliver them, educators are encouraged to mix and match activities that they feel would be effective for their context. 

Digital image depicting computer science related elements.

We hope this will empower anyone, no matter their surroundings, to have meaningful conversations about AI safety with young people. 

The modular design ensures maximum flexibility. For example:

  • A teacher might combine the video with an unplugged activity and follow-up discussion for a 60-minute lesson
  • A club leader could show the video and run a quick activity in a 30-minute session
  • A parent might watch the video and use the discussion questions during dinner to explore how generative AI shapes the content their children encounter

The importance of AI safety education

With AI becoming a larger part of daily life, young people need the tools to think critically about its use. From understanding how their data is used to spotting misinformation, these resources are designed to build confidence and critical thinking in an AI-powered world.

AI safety is about empowering young people to be informed consumers of AI tools. By using these resources, you’ll help the next generation not only navigate AI, but shape its future. Dive into our materials, start a conversation, and inspire young minds to think critically about the role of AI in their lives.

Ready to get started? Explore our AI safety resources today: rpf.io/aisafetyblog. Together, we can empower every child to thrive in a digital world.

The post Helping young people navigate AI safely appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.

The need to invest in AI skills in schools

Post Syndicated from Philip Colligan original https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/the-need-to-invest-in-ai-skills-in-schools/

Earlier this week, the UK Government published its AI Opportunities Action Plan, which sets out an ambitious vision to maintain the UK’s position as a global leader in artificial intelligence. 

Whether you’re from the UK or not, it’s a good read, setting out the opportunities and challenges facing any country that aspires to lead the world in the development and application of AI technologies. 

In terms of skills, the Action Plan highlights the need for the UK to train tens of thousands more AI professionals by 2030 and sets out important goals to expand education pathways into AI, invest in new undergraduate and master’s scholarships, tackle the lack of diversity in the sector, and ensure that the lifelong skills agenda focuses on AI skills. 

Photo of a group of young people working through some Experience AI content.

This is all very important, but the Action Plan fails to mention what I think is one of the most important investments we need to make, which is in schools. 

“Most people overestimate what they can achieve in a year and underestimate what they can achieve in ten years.”

While reading the section of the Action Plan that dealt with AI skills, I was reminded of this quote attributed to Bill Gates, which was adapted from Roy Amara’s law of technology. We tend to overestimate what we can achieve in the short term and underestimate what we can achieve in the long term. 

In focusing on the immediate AI gold rush, there is a risk that the government overlooks the investments we need to make right now in schools, which will yield huge returns — for individuals, communities, and economies — over the long term. Realising the full potential of a future where AI technologies are ubiquitous requires genuinely long-term thinking, which isn’t always easy for political systems that are designed around short-term results. 

Photo focused on a young person working on a computer in a classroom.

But what are those investments? The Action Plan rightly points out that the first step for the government is to accurately assess the size of the skills gap. As part of that work, we need to figure out what needs to change in the school system to build a genuinely diverse and broad pipeline of young people with AI skills. The good news is that we’ve already made a lot of progress. 

AI literacy

Over the past three years, the Raspberry Pi Foundation and our colleagues in the Raspberry Pi Computing Education Research Centre at the University of Cambridge have been working to understand and define what AI literacy means. That led us to create a research-informed model for AI literacy that unpacks the concepts and knowledge that constitute a foundational understanding of AI. 

In partnership with one of the leading UK-based AI companies, Google DeepMind, we used that model to create Experience AI. This suite of classroom resources, teacher professional development, and hands-on practical activities enables non-specialist teachers to deliver engaging lessons that help young people build that foundational understanding of AI technologies. 

We’ve seen huge demand from UK schools already, with thousands of lessons taught in UK schools, and we’re delighted to be working with Parent Zone to support a wider roll out in the UK, along with free teacher professional development.  

CEO Philip Colligan and Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the UK launch of Experience AI.
CEO Philip Colligan and Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the UK launch of Experience AI.

With the generous support of Google.org, we are working with a global network of education partners — from Nigeria to Nepal — to localise and translate these resources, and deliver locally organised teacher professional development. With over 1 million young people reached already, Experience AI can plausibly claim to be the most widely used AI literacy curriculum in the world, and we’re improving it all the time. 

All of the materials are available for anyone to use and can be found on the Experience AI website.

There is no AI without CS

With the CEO of GitHub claiming that it won’t be long before 80% of code is written by AI, it’s perhaps not surprising that some people are questioning whether we still need to teach kids how to code.

I’ll have much more to say on this in a future blog post, but the short answer is that computer science and programming is set to become more — not less — important in the age of AI. This is particularly important if we want to tackle the lack of diversity in the tech sector and ensure that young people from all backgrounds have the opportunity to shape the AI-enabled future that they will be living in. 

Close up of two young people working at a computer.

The simple truth is that there is no artificial intelligence without computer science. The rapid advances in AI are likely to increase the range of problems that can be solved by technology, creating demand for more complex software, which in turn will create demand for more programmers with increasingly sophisticated and complex skills. 

That’s why we’ve set ourselves the ambition that we will inspire 10 million more young people to learn how to get creative with technology over the next 10 years through Code Club. 

Curriculum reform 

But we also need to think about what needs to change in the curriculum to ensure that schools are equipping young people with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in an AI-powered world. 

That will mean changes to the computer science curriculum, providing different pathways that reflect young people’s interests and passions, but ensuring that every child leaves school with a qualification in computer science or applied digital skills. 

It’s not just computer science courses. We need to modernise mathematics and figure out what a data science curriculum looks like (and where it fits). We also need to recognise that AI skills are just as relevant to biology, geography, and languages as they are to computer science. 

A teacher assisting a young person with a coding project.

To be clear, I am not talking about how AI technologies will save teachers time, transform assessments, or be used by students to write essays. I am talking about the fundamentals of the subjects themselves and how AI technologies are revolutionising the sciences and humanities in practice in the real world. 

These are all areas where the Raspberry Pi Foundation is engaged in original research and experimentation. Stay tuned. 

Supporting teachers

All of this needs to be underpinned by a commitment to supporting teachers, including through funding and time to engage in meaningful professional development. This is probably the biggest challenge for policy makers at a time when budgets are under so much pressure. 

For any nation to plausibly claim that it has an Action Plan to be an AI superpower, it needs to recognise the importance of making the long-term investment in supporting our teachers to develop the skills and confidence to teach students about AI and the role that it will play in their lives. 

I’d love to hear what you think and if you want to get involved, please get in touch.

The post The need to invest in AI skills in schools appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.

Exploring how well Experience AI maps to UNESCO’s AI competency framework for students

Post Syndicated from Ben Garside original https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/experience-ai-unesco-ai-competency-framework/

During this year’s annual Digital Learning Week conference in September, UNESCO launched their AI competency frameworks for students and teachers. 

What is the AI competency framework for students? 

The UNESCO competency framework for students serves as a guide for education systems across the world to help students develop the necessary skills in AI literacy and to build inclusive, just, and sustainable futures in this new technological era.

It is an exciting document because, as well as being comprehensive, it’s the first global framework of its kind in the area of AI education.

The framework serves three specific purposes:

  • It offers a guide on essential AI concepts and skills for students, which can help shape AI education policies or programs at schools
  • It aims to shape students’ values, knowledge, and skills so they can understand AI critically and ethically
  • It suggests a flexible plan for when and how students should learn about AI as they progress through different school grades

The framework is a starting point for policy-makers, curriculum developers, school leaders, teachers, and educational experts to look at how it could apply in their local contexts. 

It is not possible to create a single curriculum suitable for all national and local contexts, but the framework flags the necessary competencies for students across the world to acquire the values, knowledge, and skills necessary to examine and understand AI critically from a holistic perspective.

How does Experience AI compare with the framework?

A group of researchers and curriculum developers from the Raspberry Pi Foundation, with a focus on AI literacy, attended the conference and afterwards we tasked ourselves with taking a deep dive into the student framework and mapping our Experience AI resources to it. Our aims were to:

  • Identify how the framework aligns with Experience AI
  • See how the framework aligns with our research-informed design principles
  • Identify gaps or next steps

Experience AI is a free educational programme that offers cutting-edge resources on artificial intelligence and machine learning for teachers, and their students aged 11 to 14. Developed in collaboration with the Raspberry Pi Foundation and Google DeepMind, the programme provides everything that teachers need to confidently deliver engaging lessons that will teach, inspire, and engage young people about AI and the role that it could play in their lives. The current curriculum offering includes a ‘Foundations of AI’ 6-lesson unit, 2 standalone lessons (‘AI and ecosystems’ and ‘Large language models’), and the 3 newly released AI safety resources. 

Working through each lesson objective in the Experience AI offering, we compared them with each curricular goal to see where they overlapped. We have made this mapping publicly available so that you can see this for yourself: Experience AI – UNESCO AI Competency framework students – learning objective mapping (rpf.io/unesco-mapping)

The first thing we discovered was that the mapping of the objectives did not have a 1:1 basis. For example, when we looked at a learning objective, we often felt that it covered more than one curricular goal from the framework. That’s not to say that the learning objective fully met each curricular goal, rather that it covers elements of the goal and in turn the student competency. 

Once we had completed the mapping process, we analysed the results by totalling the number of objectives that had been mapped against each competency aspect and level within the framework.

This provided us with an overall picture of where our resources are positioned against the framework. Whilst the majority of the objectives for all of the resources are in the ‘Human-centred mindset’ category, the analysis showed that there is still a relatively even spread of objectives in the other three categories (Ethics of AI, ML techniques and applications, and AI system design). 

As the current resource offering is targeted at the entry level to AI literacy, it is unsurprising to see that the majority of the objectives were at the level of ‘Understand’. It was, however, interesting to see how many objectives were also at the ‘Apply’ level. 

It is encouraging to see that the different resources from Experience AI map to different competencies in the framework. For example, the 6-lesson foundations unit aims to give students a basic understanding of how AI systems work and the data-driven approach to problem solving. In contrast, the AI safety resources focus more on the principles of Fairness, Accountability, Transparency, Privacy, and Security (FATPS), most of which fall more heavily under the ethics of AI and human-centred mindset categories of the competency framework. 

What did we learn from the process? 

Our principles align 

We built the Experience AI resources on design principles based on the knowledge curated by Jane Waite and the Foundation’s researchers. One of our aims of the mapping process was to see if the principles that underpin the UNESCO competency framework align with our own.

Avoiding anthropomorphism 

Anthropomorphism refers to the concept of attributing human characteristics to objects or living beings that aren’t human. For reasons outlined in the blog I previously wrote on the issue, a key design principle for Experience AI is to avoid anthropomorphism at all costs. In our resources, we are particularly careful with the language and images that we use. Putting the human in the process is a key way in which we can remind students that it is humans who design and are responsible for AI systems. 

Young people use computers in a classroom.

It was reassuring to see that the UNESCO framework has many curricular goals that align closely to this, for example:

  • Foster an understanding that AI is human-led
  • Facilitate an understanding on the necessity of exercising sufficient human control over AI
  • Nurture critical thinking on the dynamic relationship between human agency and machine agency

SEAME

The SEAME framework created by Paul Curzon and Jane Waite offers a way for teachers, resource developers, and researchers to talk about the focus of AI learning activities by separating them into four layers: Social and Ethical (SE), Application (A), Models (M), and Engines (E). 

The SEAME model and the UNESCO AI competency framework take two different approaches to categorising AI education — SEAME describes levels of abstraction for conceptual learning about AI systems, whereas the competency framework separates concepts into strands with progression. We found that although the alignment between the frameworks is not direct, the same core AI and machine learning concepts are broadly covered across both. 

Computational thinking 2.0 (CT2.0)

The concept of computational thinking 2.0 (a data-driven approach) stems from research by Professor Matti Tedre and Dr Henriikka Vartiainen from the University of Eastern Finland. The essence of this approach establishes AI as a different way to solve problems using computers compared to a more traditional computational thinking approach (a rule-based approach). This does not replace the traditional computational approach, but instead requires students to approach the problem differently when using AI as a tool. 

An educator points to an image on a student's computer screen.

The UNESCO framework includes many references within their curricular goals that places the data-driven approach at the forefront of problem solving using AI, including:

  • Develop conceptual knowledge on how AI is trained based on data 
  • Develop skills on assessing AI systems’ need for data, algorithms, and computing resources

Where we slightly differ in our approach is the regular use of the term ‘algorithm’, particularly in the Understand and Apply levels of the framework. We have chosen to differentiate AI systems from traditional computational thinking approaches by avoiding the term ‘algorithm’ at the foundational stage of AI education. We believe the learners need a firm mental model of data-driven systems before students can understand that the Model and Engines of the SEAME model refer to algorithms (which would possibly correspond to the Create stage of the UNESCO framework). 

We can identify areas for exploration

As part of the international expansion of Experience AI, we have been working with partners from across the globe to bring AI literacy education to students in their settings. Part of this process has involved working with our partners to localise the resources, but also to provide training on the concepts covered in Experience AI. During localisation and training, our partners often have lots of queries about the lesson on bias. 

As a result, we decided to see if mapping taught us anything about this lesson in particular, and if there was any learning we could take from it. At close inspection, we found that the lesson covers two out of the three curricular goals for the Understand element of the ‘Ethics of AI’ category (Embodied ethics). 

Specifically, we felt the lesson:

  • Illustrates dilemmas around AI and identifies the main reasons behind ethical conflicts
  • Facilitates scenario-based understandings of ethical principles on AI and their personal implications

What we felt isn’t covered in the lesson is:

  • Guide the embodied reflection and internalisation of ethical principles on AI

Exploring this further, the framework describes this curricular goal as:

“Guide students to understand the implications of ethical principles on AI for their human rights, data privacy, safety, human agency, as well as for equity, inclusion, social justice and environmental sustainability. Guide students to develop embodied comprehension of ethical principles; and offer opportunities to reflect on personal attitudes that can help address ethical challenges (e.g. advocating for inclusive interfaces for AI tools, promoting inclusion in AI and reporting discriminatory biases found in AI tools).”

We realised that this doesn’t mean that the lesson on bias is ineffective or incomplete, but it does help us to think more deeply about the learning objective for the lesson. This may be something we will look to address in future iterations of the foundations unit or even in the development of new resources. What we have identified is a process that we can follow, which will help us with our decision making in the next phases of resource development. 

How does this inform our next steps?

As part of the analysis of the resources, we created a simple heatmap of how the Experience AI objectives relate to the UNESCO progression levels. As with the barcharts, the heatmap indicated that the majority of the objectives sit within the Understand level of progression, with fewer in Apply, and fewest in Create. As previously mentioned, this is to be expected with the resources being “foundational”. 

The heatmap has, however, helped us to identify some interesting points about our resources that warrant further thought. For example, under the ‘Human-centred mindset’ competency aspect, there are more objectives under Apply than there are Understand. For ‘AI system design’, architecture design is the least covered aspect of Apply. 

By identifying these areas for investigation, again it shows that we’re able to add the learnings from the UNESCO framework to help us make decisions.

What next? 

This mapping process has been a very useful exercise in many ways for those of us working on AI literacy at the Raspberry Pi Foundation. The process of mapping the resources gave us an opportunity to have deep conversations about the learning objectives and question our own understanding of our resources. It was also very satisfying to see that the framework aligns well with our own researched-informed design principles, such as the SEAME model and avoiding anthropomorphisation. 

The mapping process has been a good starting point for us to understand UNESCO’s framework and we’re sure that it will act as a useful tool to help us make decisions around future enhancements to our foundational units and new free educational materials. We’re looking forward to applying what we’ve learnt to our future work! 

Download our Experience AI resources from our website

The post Exploring how well Experience AI maps to UNESCO’s AI competency framework for students appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.

Free online course on understanding AI for educators

Post Syndicated from Mac Bowley original https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/free-online-course-on-understanding-ai-for-educators/

To empower every educator to confidently bring AI into their classroom, we’ve created a new online training course called ‘Understanding AI for educators’ in collaboration with Google DeepMind. By taking this course, you will gain a practical understanding of the crossover between AI tools and education. The course includes a conceptual look at what AI is, how AI systems are built, different approaches to problem-solving with AI, and how to use current AI tools effectively and ethically.

Image by Mudassar Iqbal from Pixabay

In this post, I will share our approach to designing the course and some of the key considerations behind it — all of which you can apply today to teach your learners about AI systems.

Design decisions: Nurturing knowledge and confidence

We know educators have different levels of confidence with AI tools — we designed this course to help create a level playing field. Our goal is to uplift every educator, regardless of their prior experience, to a point where they feel comfortable discussing AI in the classroom.

Three computer science educators discuss something at a screen.

AI literacy is key to understanding the implications and opportunities of AI in education. The course provides educators with a solid conceptual foundation, enabling them to ask the right questions and form their own perspectives.

As with all our AI learning materials that are part of Experience AI, we’ve used specific design principles for the course:

  • Choosing language carefully: We never anthropomorphise AI systems, replacing phrases like “The model understands” with “The model analyses”. We do this to make it clear that AI is just a computer system, not a sentient being with thoughts or feelings.
  • Accurate terminology: We avoid using AI as a singular noun, opting instead for the more accurate ‘AI tool’ when talking about applications or ‘AI system’ when talking about underlying component parts. 
  • Ethics: The social and ethical impacts of AI are not an afterthought but highlighted throughout the learning materials.

Three main takeaways

The course offers three main takeaways any educator can apply to their teaching about AI systems. 

1. Communicating effectively about AI systems

Deciding the level of detail to use when talking about AI systems can be difficult — especially if you’re not very confident about the topic. The SEAME framework offers a solution by breaking down AI into 4 levels: social and ethical, application, model, and engine. Educators can focus on the level most relevant to their lessons and also use the framework as a useful structure for classroom discussions.

The SEAME framework gives you a simple way to group learning objectives and resources related to teaching AI and ML, based on whether they focus on social and ethical aspects (SE), applications (A), models (M), or engines (E, i.e. how AI works).

You might discuss the impact a particular AI system is having on society, without the need to explain to your learners how the model itself has been trained or tested. Equally, you might focus on a specific machine learning model to look at where the data used to create it came from and consider the effect the data source has on the output. 

2. Problem-solving approaches: Predictive vs. generative AI

AI applications can be broadly separated into two categories: predictive and generative. These two types of AI model represent two vastly different approaches to problem-solving. 

People create predictive AI models to make predictions about the future. For example, you might create a model to make weather forecasts based on previously recorded weather data, or to recommend new movies to you based on your previous viewing history. In developing predictive AI models, the problem is defined first — then a specific dataset is assembled to help solve it. Therefore, each predictive AI model usually is only useful for a small number of applications.

Seventeen multicoloured post-it notes are roughly positioned in a strip shape on a white board. Each one of them has a hand drawn sketch in pen on them, answering the prompt on one of the post-it notes "AI is...." The sketches are all very different, some are patterns representing data, some are cartoons, some show drawings of things like data centres, or stick figure drawings of the people involved.
Rick Payne and team / Better Images of AI / Ai is… Banner / CC-BY 4.0

Generative AI models are used to generate media (such as text, code, images, or audio). The possible applications of these models are much more varied because people can use media in many different kinds of ways. You might say that the outputs of generative AI models could be used to solve — or at least to partially solve — any number of problems, without these problems needing to be defined before the model is created.

3. Using generative AI tools: The OCEAN process

Generative AI systems rely on user prompts to generate outputs. The OCEAN process, outlined in the course, offers a simple yet powerful framework for prompting AI tools like Gemini, Stable Diffusion or ChatGPT. 

Three groups of icons representing people have shapes travelling between them and a page in the middle of the image. The page is a simple rectangle with straight lines representing data. The shapes traveling towards the page are irregular and in squiggly bands.
Yasmine Boudiaf & LOTI / Better Images of AI / Data Processing / CC-BY 4.0

The first three steps of the process help you write better prompts that will result in an output that is as close as possible to what you are looking for, while the last two steps outline how to improve the output:

  1. Objective: Clearly state what you want the model to generate
  2. Context: Provide necessary background information
  3. Examples: Offer specific examples to fine-tune the model’s output
  4. Assess: Evaluate the output 
  5. Negotiate: Refine the prompt to correct any errors in the output

The final step in using any generative AI tool should be to closely review or edit the output yourself. These tools will very quickly get you started but you’ll always have to rely on your own human effort to ensure the quality of your work. 

Helping educators to be critical users

We believe the knowledge and skills our ‘Understanding AI for educators’ course teaches will help any educator determine the right AI tools and concepts to bring into their classroom, regardless of their specialisation. Here’s what one course participant had to say:

“From my inexperienced viewpoint, I kind of viewed AI as a cheat code. I believed that AI in the classroom could possibly be a real detriment to students and eliminate critical thinking skills.

After learning more about AI [on the course] and getting some hands-on experience with it, my viewpoint has certainly taken a 180-degree turn. AI definitely belongs in schools and in the workplace. It will take time to properly integrate it and know how to ethically use it. Our role as educators is to stay ahead of this trend as opposed to denying AI’s benefits and falling behind.” – ‘Understanding AI for educators’ course participant

All our Experience AI resources — including this online course and the teaching materials — are designed to foster a generation of AI-literate educators who can confidently and ethically guide their students in navigating the world of AI.

You can sign up to the course for free here: 

I want to sign up

A version of this article also appears in Hello World issue 25, which will be published on Monday 23 September and will focus on all things generative AI and education.

The post Free online course on understanding AI for educators appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.

Impact of Experience AI: Reflections from students and teachers

Post Syndicated from Lou Loxley original https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/impact-of-experience-ai-reflections-from-students-and-teachers/

“I’ve enjoyed actually learning about what AI is and how it works, because before I thought it was just a scary computer that thinks like a human,” a student learning with Experience AI at King Edward’s School, Bath, UK, told us. 

This is the essence of what we aim to do with our Experience AI lessons, which demystify artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). Through Experience AI, teachers worldwide are empowered to confidently deliver engaging lessons with a suite of resources that inspire and educate 11- to 14-year-olds about AI and the role it could play in their lives.

“I learned new things and it changed my mindset that AI is going to take over the world.” – Student, Malaysia

Experience AI students in Malaysia
Experience AI students in Malaysia

Developed by us with Google DeepMind, our first set of Experience AI lesson resources was aimed at a UK audience and launched in April 2023. Next we released tailored versions of the resources for 5 other countries, working in close partnership with organisations in Malaysia, Kenya, Canada, Romania, and India. Thanks to new funding from Google.org, we’re now expanding Experience AI for 16 more countries and creating new resources on AI safety, with the aim of providing leading-edge AI education for more than 2 million young people across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. 

In this blog post, you’ll hear directly from students and teachers about the impact the Experience AI lessons have had so far. 

Case study:  Experience AI in Malaysia

Penang Science Cluster in Malaysia is among the first organisations we’ve partnered with for Experience AI. Speaking to Malaysian students learning with Experience AI, we found that the lessons were often very different from what they had expected. 

Launch of Experience AI in Malaysia
Launch of Experience AI in Malaysia

“I actually thought it was going to be about boring lectures and not much about AI but more on coding, but we actually got to do a lot of hands-on activities, which are pretty fun. I thought AI was just about robots, but after joining this, I found it could be made into chatbots or could be made into personal helpers.” – Student, Malaysia

“Actually, I thought AI was mostly related to robots, so I was expecting to learn more about robots when I came to this programme. It widened my perception on AI.” – Student, Malaysia. 

The Malaysian government actively promotes AI literacy among its citizens, and working with local education authorities, Penang Science Cluster is using Experience AI to train teachers and equip thousands of young people in the state of Penang with the understanding and skills to use AI effectively. 

“We envision a future where AI education is as fundamental as mathematics education, providing students with the tools they need to thrive in an AI-driven world”, says Aimy Lee, Chief Operating Officer at Penang Science Cluster. “The journey of AI exploration in Malaysia has only just begun, and we’re thrilled to play a part in shaping its trajectory.”

Giving non-specialist teachers the confidence to introduce AI to students

Experience AI provides lesson plans, classroom resources, worksheets, hands-on activities, and videos to help teachers introduce a wide range of AI applications and help students understand how they work. The resources are based on research, and because we adapt them to each partner’s country, they are culturally relevant and relatable for students. Any teacher can use the resources in their classroom, whether or not they have a background in computing education. 

“Our Key Stage 3 Computing students now feel immensely more knowledgeable about the importance and place that AI has in their wider lives. These lessons and activities are engaging and accessible to students and educators alike, whatever their specialism may be.” – Dave Cross,  North Liverpool Academy, UK

“The feedback we’ve received from both teachers and learners has been overwhelmingly positive. They consistently rave about how accessible, fun, and hands-on these resources are. What’s more, the materials are so comprehensive that even non-specialists can deliver them with confidence.” – Storm Rae, The National Museum of Computing, UK

Experience AI teacher training in Kenya
Experience AI teacher training in Kenya

“[The lessons] go above and beyond to ensure that students not only grasp the material but also develop a genuine interest and enthusiasm for the subject.” – Teacher, Changamwe Junior School, Mombasa, Kenya

Sparking debates on bias and the limitations of AI

When learners gain an understanding of how AI works, it gives them the confidence to discuss areas where the technology doesn’t work well or its output is incorrect. These classroom debates deepen and consolidate their knowledge, and help them to use AI more critically.

“Students enjoyed the practical aspects of the lessons, like categorising apples and tomatoes. They found it intriguing how AI could sometimes misidentify objects, sparking discussions on its limitations. They also expressed concerns about AI bias, which these lessons helped raise awareness about. I didn’t always have all the answers, but it was clear they were curious about AI’s implications for their future.” – Tracey Mayhead, Arthur Mellows Village College, Peterborough, UK

Experience AI students in UK
Experience AI students in UK

“The lessons that we trialled took some of the ‘magic’ out of AI and started to give the students an understanding that AI is only as good as the data that is used to build it.” – Jacky Green, Waldegrave School, UK 

“I have enjoyed learning about how AI is actually programmed, rather than just hearing about how impactful and great it could be.” – Student, King Edward’s School, Bath, UK 

“It has changed my outlook on AI because now I’ve realised how much AI actually needs human intelligence to be able to do anything.” – Student, Arthur Mellows Village College, Peterborough, UK 

“I didn’t really know what I wanted to do before this but now knowing more about AI, I probably would consider a future career in AI as I find it really interesting and I really liked learning about it.” – Student, Arthur Mellows Village College, Peterborough, UK 

If you’d like to get involved with Experience AI as an educator and use our free lesson resources with your class, you can start by visiting experience-ai.org.

The post Impact of Experience AI: Reflections from students and teachers appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.

Experience AI: How research continues to shape the resources

Post Syndicated from Lou Loxley original https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/experience-ai-how-research-continues-to-shape-the-resources/

Since we launched the Experience AI learning programme in the UK in April 2023, educators in 130 countries have downloaded Experience AI lesson resources. They estimate reaching over 630,000 young people with the lessons, helping them to understand how AI works and to build the knowledge and confidence to use AI tools responsibly. Just last week, we announced another exciting expansion of Experience AI: thanks to $10 million in funding from Google.org, we will be able to work with local partner organisations to provide research-based AI education to an estimated over 2 million young people across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Trainer discussing Experience AI at a teacher training event in Kenya.
Experience AI teacher training in Kenya

This blog post explains how we use research to continue to shape our Experience AI resources, including the new AI safety resources we are developing. 

The beginning of Experience AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) applications are part of our everyday lives — we use them every time we scroll through social media feeds organised by recommender systems or unlock an app with facial recognition. For young people, there is more need than ever to gain the skills and understanding to critically engage with AI technologies. 

Someone holding a mobile phone that's open on their social media apps folder.

We wanted to design free lesson resources to help teachers in a wide range of subjects confidently introduce AI and ML to students aged 11 to 14 (Key Stage 3). This led us to develop Experience AI, in collaboration with Google DeepMind, offering materials including lesson plans, slide decks, videos (both teacher- and student-facing), student activities, and assessment questions. 

SEAME: The research-based framework behind Experience AI

The Experience AI resources were built on rigorous research from the Raspberry Pi Computing Education Research Centre as well as from other researchers, including those we hosted at our series of seminars on AI and data science education. The Research Centre’s work involved mapping and categorising over 500 resources used to teach AI and ML, and found that the majority were one-off activities, and that very few resources were tailored to a specific age group.

An example activity slide in the Experience AI lessons where students learn about bias.
An example activity in the Experience AI lessons where students learn about bias.

To analyse the content that existing AI education resources covered, the Centre developed a simple framework called SEAME. The framework gives you an easy way to group concepts, knowledge, and skills related to AI and ML based on whether they focus on social and ethical aspects (SE), applications (A), models (M), or engines (E, i.e. how AI works.)

Through Experience AI, learners also gain an understanding of the models underlying AI applications, and the processes used to train and test ML models.

An example activity slide in the Experience AI lessons where students learn about classification.
An example activity in the Experience AI lessons where students learn about classification.

Our Experience AI lessons cover all four levels of SEAME and focus on applications of AI that are relatable for young people. They also introduce learners to AI-related issues such as privacy or bias concerns, and the impact of AI on employment. 

The six foundation lessons of Experience AI

  1. What is AI?: Learners explore the current context of AI and how it is used in the world around them. Looking at the differences between rule-based and data-driven approaches to programming, they consider the benefits and challenges that AI could bring to society. 
  2. How computers learn: Focusing on the role of data-driven models in AI systems, learners are introduced to ML and find out about three common approaches to creating ML models. Finally they explore classification, a specific application of ML.
  3. Bias in, bias out: Students create their own ML model to classify images of apples and tomatoes. They discover that a limited dataset is likely to lead to a flawed ML model. Then they explore how bias can appear in a dataset, resulting in biased predictions produced by a ML model. 
  4. Decision trees: Learners take their first in-depth look at a specific type of ML model: decision trees. They see how different training datasets result in the creation of different ML models, experiencing first-hand what the term ‘data-driven’ means.
  5. Solving problems with ML models: Students are introduced to the AI project lifecycle and use it to create a ML model. They apply a human-focused approach to working on their project, train a ML model, and finally test their model to find out its accuracy.
  6. Model cards and careers: Learners finish the AI project lifecycle by creating a model card to explain their ML model. To complete the unit, they explore a range of AI-related careers, hear from people working in AI research at Google DeepMind, and explore how they might apply AI and ML to their interests. 
Experience AI banner.

We also offer two additional stand-alone lessons: one on large language models, how they work, and why they’re not always reliable, and the other on the application of AI in ecosystems research, which lets learners explore how AI tools can be used to support animal conservation. 

New AI safety resources: Empowering learners to be critical users of technology

We have also been developing a set of resources for educator-led sessions on three topics related to AI safety, funded by Google.org. 

  • AI and your data: With the support of this resource, young people reflect on the data they have already provided to AI applications in their daily lives, and think about how the prevalence of AI tools might change the way they protect their data.  
  • Media literacy in the age of AI: This resource highlights the ways AI tools can be used to perpetuate misinformation and how AI applications can help people combat misleading claims.
  • Using generative AI responsibly: With this resource, young people consider their responsibilities when using generative AI, and their expectations of developers who release Experience AI tools. 

Other research principles behind our free teaching resources 

As well as using the SEAME framework, we have incorporated a whole host of other research-based concepts in the design principles for the Experience AI resources. For example, we avoid anthropomorphism — that is, words or imagery that can lead learners to wrongly believe that AI applications have sentience or intentions like humans do — and we instead promote the understanding that it’s people who design AI applications and decide how they are used. We also teach about data-driven application design, which is a core concept in computational thinking 2.0.  

Share your feedback

We’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback about using the Experience AI resources. Your comments help us to improve the current materials, and to develop future resources. You can tell us what you think using this form. 

And if you’d like to start using the Experience AI resources as an educator, you can download them for free at experience-ai.org.

The post Experience AI: How research continues to shape the resources appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.

Experience AI at UNESCO’s Digital Learning Week

Post Syndicated from Ben Garside original https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/experience-ai-unescos-digital-learning-week/

Last week, we were honoured to attend UNESCO’s Digital Learning Week conference to present our free Experience AI resources and how they can help teachers demystify AI for their learners.  

A group of educators at a UNESCO conference.

The conference drew a worldwide audience in-person and online to hear about the work educators and policy makers are doing to support teachers’ use of AI tools in their teaching and learning. Speaker after speaker reiterated that the shared goal of our work is to support learners to become critical consumers and responsible creators of AI systems.

In this blog, we share how our conference talk demonstrated the use of Experience AI for pursuing this globally shared goal, and how the Experience AI resources align with UNESCO’s newly launched AI competency framework for students.

Presenting the design principles behind Experience AI

Our talk about Experience AI, our learning programme developed with Google DeepMind, focused on the research-informed approach we are taking in our resource development. Specifically, we spoke about three key design principles that we embed in the Experience AI resources:

Firstly, using AI and machine learning to solve problems requires learners and educators to think differently to traditional computational thinking and use a data-driven approach instead, as laid out in the research around computational thinking 2.0.

Secondly, every word we use in our teaching about AI is important to help young people form accurate mental models about how AI systems work. In particular, we focused our examples around the need to avoid anthropomorphising language when we describe AI systems. Especially given that some developers produce AI systems with the aim to make them appear human-like in their design and outputs, it’s important that young people understand that AI systems are in fact built and designed by humans.

Thirdly we described how we used the SEAME framework we adapted from work by Jane Waite (Raspberry Pi Foundation) and Paul Curzon (Queen Mary University, London) to categorise hundreds of AI education resources and inform the design of our Experience AI resources. The framework offers a common language for educators when assessing the content of resources, and when supporting learners to understand the different aspects of AI systems. 

By presenting our design principles, we aimed to give educators, policy makers, and attendees from non-governmental organisations practical recommendations and actionable considerations for designing learning materials on AI literacy.   

How Experience AI aligns with UNESCO’s new AI competency framework for students

At Digital Learning Week, UNESCO launched two AI competency frameworks:

  • A framework for students, intended to help teachers around the world with integrating AI tools in activities to engage their learners
  • A framework for teachers, “defining the knowledge, skills, and values teachers must master in the age of AI”

AI competency framework for students

We have had the chance to map the Experience AI resources to UNESCO’s AI framework for students at a high level, finding that the resources cover 10 of the 12 areas of the framework (see image below).

An adaptation of a summary table from UNESCO’s new student competency framework (CC-BY-SA 3.0 IGO), highlighting the 10 areas covered by our Experience AI resources

For instance, throughout the Experience AI resources runs a thread of promoting “citizenship in the AI era”: the social and ethical aspects of AI technologies are highlighted in all the lessons and activities. In this way, they provide students with the foundational knowledge of how AI systems work, and where they may work badly. Using the resources, educators can teach their learners core AI and machine learning concepts and make these concepts concrete through practical activities where learners create their own models and critically evaluate their outputs. Importantly, by learning with Experience AI, students not only learn to be responsible users of AI tools, but also to consider fairness, accountability, transparency, and privacy when they create AI models.  

Teacher competency framework for AI 

UNESCO’s AI competency framework for teachers outlines 15 competencies across 5 dimensions (see image below).  We enjoyed listening to the launch panel members talk about the strong ambitions of the framework as well as the realities of teachers’ global and local challenges. The three key messages of the panel were:

  • AI will not replace the expertise of classroom teachers
  • Supporting educators to build AI competencies is a shared responsibility
  • Individual countries’ education systems have different needs in terms of educator support

All three messages resonate strongly with the work we’re doing at the Raspberry Pi Foundation. Supporting all educators is a fundamental part of our resource development. For example, Experience AI offers everything a teacher with no technical background needs to deliver the lessons, including lesson plans, videos, worksheets and slide decks. We also provide a free online training course on understanding AI for educators. And in our work with partner organisations around the world, we adapt and translate Experience AI resources so they are culturally relevant, and we organise locally delivered teacher professional development. 

A summary table from UNESCO’s new teacher competency framework (CC-BY-SA 3.0 IGO)

 The teachers’ competency framework is meant as guidance for educators, policy makers, training providers, and application developers to support teachers in using AI effectively, and in helping their learners gain AI literacy skills. We will certainly consult the document as we develop our training and professional development resources for teachers further.

Towards AI literacy for all young people

Across this year’s UNESCO’s Digital Learning Week, we saw that the role of AI in education took centre stage across the presentations and the informal conversations among attendees. It was a privilege to present our work and see how well Experience AI was received, with attendees recognising that our design principles align with the values and principles in UNESCO’s new AI competency frameworks.

A conference table setup with a pair of headphones resting on top of a UNESCO brochure.

We look forward to continuing this international conversation about AI literacy and working in aligned ways to support all young people to develop a foundational understanding of AI technologies.

The post Experience AI at UNESCO’s Digital Learning Week appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.

Experience AI expands to reach over 2 million students

Post Syndicated from Philip Colligan original https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/experience-ai-expands-to-reach-over-2-million-students/

Two years ago, we announced Experience AI, a collaboration between the Raspberry Pi Foundation and Google DeepMind to inspire the next generation of AI leaders.

Today I am excited to announce that we are expanding the programme with the aim of reaching more than 2 million students over the next 3 years, thanks to a generous grant of $10m from Google.org. 

Why do kids need to learn about AI

AI technologies are already changing the world and we are told that their potential impact is unprecedented in human history. But just like every other wave of technological innovation, along with all of the opportunities, the AI revolution has the potential to leave people behind, to exacerbate divisions, and to make more problems than it solves.

Part of the answer to this dilemma lies in ensuring that all young people develop a foundational understanding of AI technologies and the role that they can play in their lives. 

An educator points to an image on a student's computer screen.

That’s why the conversation about AI in education is so important. A lot of the focus of that conversation is on how we harness the power of AI technologies to improve teaching and learning. Enabling young people to use AI to learn is important, but it’s not enough. 

We need to equip young people with the knowledge, skills, and mindsets to use AI technologies to create the world they want. And that means supporting their teachers, who once again are being asked to teach a subject that they didn’t study. 

Experience AI 

That’s the work that we’re doing through Experience AI, an ambitious programme to provide teachers with free classroom resources and professional development, enabling them to teach their students about AI technologies and how they are changing the world. All of our resources are grounded in research that defines the concepts that make up AI literacy, they are rooted in real world examples drawing on the work of Google DeepMind, and they involve hands-on, interactive activities. 

The Experience AI resources have already been downloaded 100,000 times across 130 countries and we estimate that 750,000 young people have taken part in an Experience AI lesson already. 

In November 2023, we announced that we were building a global network of partners that we would work with to localise and translate the Experience AI resources, to ensure that they are culturally relevant, and organise locally delivered teacher professional development. We’ve made a fantastic start working with partners in Canada, India, Kenya, Malaysia, and Romania; and it’s been brilliant to see the enthusiasm and demand for AI literacy from teachers and students across the globe. 

Thanks to an incredibly generous donation of $10m from Google.org – announced at Google.org’s first Impact Summit  – we will shortly be welcoming new partners in 17 countries across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, with the aim of reaching more than 2 million students in the next three years. 

AI Safety

Alongside the expansion of the global network of Experience AI partners, we are also launching new resources that focus on critical issues of AI safety. 

A laptop surrounded by various screens displaying images, videos, and a world map.

AI and Your Data: Helping young people reflect on the data they are already providing to AI applications in their lives and how the prevalence of AI tools might change the way they protect their data.

Media Literacy in the Age of AI: Highlighting the ways AI tools can be used to perpetuate misinformation and how AI applications can help combat misleading claims.

Using Generative AI Responsibly: Empowering young people to reflect on their responsibilities when using Generative AI and their expectations of developers who release AI tools.

Get involved

In many ways, this moment in the development of AI technologies reminds me of the internet in the 1990s (yes, I am that old). We all knew that it had potential, but no-one could really imagine the full scale of what would follow. 

We failed to rise to the educational challenge of that moment and we are still living with the consequences: a dire shortage of talent; a tech sector that doesn’t represent all communities and voices; and young people and communities who are still missing out on economic opportunities and unable to utilise technology to solve the problems that matter to them. 

We have an opportunity to do a better job this time. If you’re interested in getting involved, we’d love to hear from you.

Contact us

The post Experience AI expands to reach over 2 million students appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.

Why we’re taking a problem-first approach to the development of AI systems

Post Syndicated from Ben Garside original https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/why-were-taking-a-problem-first-approach-to-the-development-of-ai-systems/

If you are into tech, keeping up with the latest updates can be tough, particularly when it comes to artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI (GenAI). Sometimes I admit to feeling this way myself, however, there was one update recently that really caught my attention. OpenAI launched their latest iteration of ChatGPT, this time adding a female-sounding voice. Their launch video demonstrated the model supporting the presenters with a maths problem and giving advice around presentation techniques, sounding friendly and jovial along the way. 

A finger clicking on an AI app on a phone.

Adding a voice to these AI models was perhaps inevitable as big tech companies try to compete for market share in this space, but it got me thinking, why would they add a voice? Why does the model have to flirt with the presenter? 

Working in the field of AI, I’ve always seen AI as a really powerful problem-solving tool. But with GenAI, I often wonder what problems the creators are trying to solve and how we can help young people understand the tech. 

What problem are we trying to solve with GenAI?

The fact is that I’m really not sure. That’s not to suggest that I think that GenAI hasn’t got its benefits — it does. I’ve seen so many great examples in education alone: teachers using large language models (LLMs) to generate ideas for lessons, to help differentiate work for students with additional needs, to create example answers to exam questions for their students to assess against the mark scheme. Educators are creative people and whilst it is cool to see so many good uses of these tools, I wonder if the developers had solving specific problems in mind while creating them, or did they simply hope that society would find a good use somewhere down the line?

An educator points to an image on a student's computer screen.

Whilst there are good uses of GenAI, you don’t need to dig very deeply before you start unearthing some major problems. 

Anthropomorphism

Anthropomorphism relates to assigning human characteristics to things that aren’t human. This is something that we all do, all of the time, without it having consequences. The problem with doing this with GenAI is that, unlike an inanimate object you’ve named (I call my vacuum cleaner Henry, for example), chatbots are designed to be human-like in their responses, so it’s easy for people to forget they’re not speaking to a human. 

A photographic rendering of a smiling face emoji seen through a refractive glass grid, overlaid with a diagram of a neural network.
Image by Alan Warburton / © BBC / Better Images of AI / Social Media / CC-BY 4.0

As feared, since my last blog post on the topic, evidence has started to emerge that some young people are showing a desire to befriend these chatbots, going to them for advice and emotional support. It’s easy to see why. Here is an extract from an exchange between the presenters at the ChatGPT-4o launch and the model:

ChatGPT (presented with a live image of the presenter): “It looks like you’re feeling pretty happy and cheerful with a big smile and even maybe a touch of excitement. Whatever is going on? It seems like you’re in a great mood. Care to share the source of those good vibes?”
Presenter: “The reason I’m in a good mood is we are doing a presentation showcasing how useful and amazing you are.”
ChatGPT: “Oh stop it, you’re making me blush.” 

The Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI) conducted a study looking at the emerging hopes and fears that parents and teenages have around GenAI.

One quote from a teenager said:

“Some people just want to talk to somebody. Just because it’s not a real person, doesn’t mean it can’t make a person feel — because words are powerful. At the end of the day, it can always help in an emotional and mental way.”  

The prospect of teenagers seeking solace and emotional support from a generative AI tool is a concerning development. While these AI tools can mimic human-like conversations, their outputs are based on patterns and data, not genuine empathy or understanding. The ultimate concern is that this exposes vulnerable young people to be manipulated in ways we can’t predict. Relying on AI for emotional support could lead to a sense of isolation and detachment, hindering the development of healthy coping mechanisms and interpersonal relationships. 

A photographic rendering of a simulated middle-aged white woman against a black background, seen through a refractive glass grid and overlaid with a distorted diagram of a neural network.
Image by Alan Warburton / © BBC / Better Images of AI / Virtual Human / CC-BY 4.0

Arguably worse is the recent news of the world’s first AI beauty pageant. The very thought of this probably elicits some kind of emotional response depending on your view of beauty pageants. There are valid concerns around misogyny and reinforcing misguided views on body norms, but it’s also important to note that the winner of “Miss AI” is being described as a lifestyle influencer. The questions we should be asking are, who are the creators trying to have influence over? What influence are they trying to gain that they couldn’t get before they created a virtual woman? 

DeepFake tools

Another use of GenAI is the ability to create DeepFakes. If you’ve watched the most recent Indiana Jones movie, you’ll have seen the technology in play, making Harrison Ford appear as a younger version of himself. This is not in itself a bad use of GenAI technology, but the application of DeepFake technology can easily become problematic. For example, recently a teacher was arrested for creating a DeepFake audio clip of the school principal making racist remarks. The recording went viral before anyone realised that AI had been used to generate the audio clip. 

Easy-to-use DeepFake tools are freely available and, as with many tools, they can be used inappropriately to cause damage or even break the law. One such instance is the rise in using the technology for pornography. This is particularly dangerous for young women, who are the more likely victims, and can cause severe and long-lasting emotional distress and harm to the individuals depicted, as well as reinforce harmful stereotypes and the objectification of women. 

Why we should focus on using AI as a problem-solving tool

Technological developments causing unforeseen negative consequences is nothing new. A lot of our job as educators is about helping young people navigate the changing world and preparing them for their futures and education has an essential role in helping people understand AI technologies to avoid the dangers. 

Our approach at the Raspberry Pi Foundation is not to focus purely on the threats and dangers, but to teach young people to be critical users of technologies and not passive consumers. Having an understanding of how these technologies work goes a long way towards achieving sufficient AI literacy skills to make informed choices and this is where our Experience AI program comes in. 

An Experience AI banner.

Experience AI is a set of lessons developed in collaboration with Google DeepMind and, before we wrote any lessons, our team thought long and hard about what we believe are the important principles that should underpin teaching and learning about artificial intelligence. One such principle is taking a problem-first approach and emphasising that computers are tools that help us solve problems. In the Experience AI fundamentals unit, we teach students to think about the problem they want to solve before thinking about whether or not AI is the appropriate tool to use to solve it. 

Taking a problem-first approach doesn’t by default avoid an AI system causing harm — there’s still the chance it will increase bias and societal inequities — but it does focus the development on the end user and the data needed to train the models. I worry that focusing on market share and opportunity rather than the problem to be solved is more likely to lead to harm.

Another set of principles that underpins our resources is teaching about fairness, accountability, transparency, privacy, and security (Fairness, Accountability, Transparency, and Ethics (FATE) in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and higher education, Understanding Artificial Intelligence Ethics and Safety) in relation to the development of AI systems. These principles are aimed at making sure that creators of AI models develop models ethically and responsibly. The principles also apply to consumers, as we need to get to a place in society where we expect these principles to be adhered to and consumer power means that any models that don’t, simply won’t succeed. 

Furthermore, once students have created their models in the Experience AI fundamentals unit, we teach them about model cards, an approach that promotes transparency about their models. Much like how nutritional information on food labels allows the consumer to make an informed choice about whether or not to buy the food, model cards give information about an AI model such as the purpose of the model, its accuracy, and known limitations such as what bias might be in the data. Students write their own model cards based on the AI solutions they have created. 

What else can we do?

At the Raspberry Pi Foundation, we have set up an AI literacy team with the aim to embed principles around AI safety, security, and responsibility into our resources and align them with the Foundations’ mission to help young people to:

  • Be critical consumers of AI technology
  • Understand the limitations of AI
  • Expect fairness, accountability, transparency, privacy, and security and work toward reducing inequities caused by technology
  • See AI as a problem-solving tool that can augment human capabilities, but not replace or narrow their futures 

Our call to action to educators, carers, and parents is to have conversations with your young people about GenAI. Get to know their opinions on GenAI and how they view its role in their lives, and help them to become critical thinkers when interacting with technology. 

The post Why we’re taking a problem-first approach to the development of AI systems appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.