As educators begin to incorporate AI into classrooms, it is important to understand data privacy and ensure students’ information is protected. Before using any AI program, we should look for age restrictions, data collection practices, and compliance with FERPA and COPPA. Students also need to be educated about data privacy, as they should understand that personal information should never be shared with AI tools, and they need to be taught how chatbots work, including their limitations and risks. By fostering digital responsibility, we can help students develop safe habits when interacting with these tools. In addition to privacy concerns, it’s important to remember that AI is not always factually accurate. These tools mimic human language, but they are language models, not knowledge models. AI does not actually understand the information it generates, and it cannot recognize when it makes a mistake. This lack of awareness means errors and biases can easily occur. Educators should emphasize digital literacy by teaching students how to cross-check information using reliable sources and evaluate the credibility of online content.The video also highlighted the ongoing challenge of algorithmic bias, which was particularly eye-opening. AI-driven facial recognition, for example, has the potential to misidentify individuals, and research has shown that these errors disproportionately impact communities of color. Ultimately, while AI has exciting potential, it comes with significant responsibilities. As educators, we need to stay informed, teach students to think critically, and encourage original thought in assignments. By combining strong privacy protections, critical digital literacy instruction, and thoughtful use of AI tools, we can help students navigate this evolving technology safely and responsibly.
