Education (Use of Artificial Intelligence)

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to ensure that artificial intelligence is used responsibly within education at all levels, both as a teaching resource and as a tool to support learning. (S7O-00495)

AI is a challenge to us all, as well as an opportunity. In March, the Scottish Government published guidelines and guardrails to support the fair, safe and ethical use of AI in Scotland’s schools, which include practical examples for learning and teaching. The guidance supports a consistent national approach while recognising that local authorities are responsible for the delivery of education and that they retain flexibility to respond to local needs and circumstances.

We continue to work with education stakeholders to build understanding of the opportunities and challenges presented by AI, supported by research resources and professional learning through the centre for teaching excellence’s digital education and AI resource hub.

The minister will be aware that Mearns Castle high school, in East Renfrewshire, recently appointed a principal teacher on AI literacy, who, when speaking to the BBC, said that his mission is to ensure that pupils can question, challenge and use AI responsibly.

When does the Scottish Government expect every young person in Scotland to have the opportunity to develop a basic understanding of AI as part of their educational journey, regardless of the subjects that they study?

I commend Mearns Castle high school on that initiative. We are watching it closely and it is something for us to build on. There are some good online resources in this space. The Data Lab hosts a programme called “Living with AI”, which we are looking to boost and augment.

We need to up our game on the AI discussion in Scotland, and that is about providing information to the general public about the opportunities and threats. Anything that we can do in that space will be taken forward, and I look forward to making some announcements on that really quite soon.