Ed-Tech Development Evolves to Address Risks of AI

Despite the growing popularity of generative artificial intelligence to enhance instruction in K-12 schools and universities, many educators remain concerned about AI hallucinations and the lack of data privacy protections in today’s market for ed tech that uses GenAI. To help address these concerns, some ed-tech leaders are adjusting their technology development processes to include teacher input as well as internal protocols focused on ethical use and data safety.

Brian Imholte, head of education and learning services at the software-engineering services company EPAM Systems, said that EPAM has talked to school leaders, educators and students across the country to gauge their needs and concerns relating to GenAI tools in education. He said he’s noticed more apprehension among educators compared to students when it comes to using AI tools, partly due to concerns around data privacy and AI hallucinations. He said reducing AI hallucinations remains a major challenge for developers of AI-driven educational tools and noted that his company has been working to develop more accurate, effective AI tutors.

“One of the big things that we hear from teachers [about AI] is, there’s often this lack of understanding and a lack of vision and immediate reaction of, ‘Kill it!’ I think from students, it’s a very, very different experience,” he said. “I think what you’re seeing from a younger set of folks and students who are younger college students is a complete embracing [of the technology], and they don’t care much about the privacy of the data pieces because with younger kids in particular, they’ve grown up in a world where all their data is in essence shared.”

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