How can we prepare students for the ethical and social impact of AI?
In the previous Educator, we introduced how Artificial Intelligence (AI) affects education at TU Delft. Even in fields of interest where AI doesn’t play a big role on the surface, it has impact on a daily basis. In this article, we will go into detail how we can prepare students for the ethical role of AI in their field of expertise. What challenges are awaiting them and how can we introduce them to these challenges? We asked dr. Olya Kudina (Assistant Professor in Ethics/Philosophy of Technology at the faculty of Technology, Policy and Management) about her ideas on how to guide students in understanding and getting familiar with the ethical sides of AI, and about the importance of the TU Delft minor Engineering with AI.
Because her interest lies particularly in Ethics of AI, Olya knows a lot about the ethical and social aspects of AI that students at TU Delft have to deal with. She thinks relationship we as humans have with technology affects education all the time, so it’s very important to think about these aspects from the beginning of your research. Since 2019, Olya is exploring the dynamic moral world at TU Delft and thinking about how to involve students and colleagues in this process. This is one of the reasons she is involved with the new minor Engineering with AI, which the TU Delft AI Initiative is starting as a pilot in September 2021.
What role is AI currently playing in different areas of expertise and how is this going to change?
“Often we hear about AI in relation to a future narrative. I am surprised about this, because AI already is playing a big role and it has been for a while. AI slowly transforms the way we live. Our smartphones, for example, are full of AI. We cannot see it, but it is already impacting us in many things we do. We call this a background relationship. We only notice it when it breaks down. For example, if our smartphone doesn’t work anymore, we notice how much it affects our daily life.”
In what way are students specifically affected by AI?
“AI is not only becoming the object of what they study, it is also giving them the experience of what they are studying. In this time, where we work from home and AI is affecting the methods through which we are providing education. It is important not to ignore this role of AI as shaping the experience of education.”
What do students need to know in order to use and handle AI well?
"Because of my background in ethics and philosophy, I try to maintain the importance for students to reflect on how AI influences their daily experiences. As soon as students exit the university, what might change for them? For instance, there are the self-driving cars everyone is talking about, the Spotify playlist or Siri in your phone, it doesn’t have to be hyped-up special, it is present in daily life. I would like students to see how these everyday experiences are not necessarily neutral and how AI is shaping our choices. AI is gearing us in one direction, making alternatives less visible. It is important to reflect on this mediating role of technology.”
What do students need to know about Ethical, Legal and Social Aspects (ELSA) of AI?
“The most important thing they need to know, is that ethical, legal and social aspects are not something separate. These are the systematic properties of AI you need to keep in mind. When we are studying AI, we don’t just study the technical part, we really need to look at it from the complex lens. We need to teach the ethical part not only as a final point on a checklist, but as accompanying the technical and social aspects. It is critical to include ethics from the start of developing or using AI, in order to approach the technical side in a responsible way.”
What are (possible) downsides of AI?
“The most important downside of AI is downplaying the presence of it in our lives and to solely connect it to a narrative of science fiction. If we think AI is in the future, we delay having difficult conversations and making difficult choices. At this moment, there is space to manoeuvre and to shape the direction of AI, even saying no to some opportunities. We need to be aware that we are already responsible.”
How do you see the role of PhDs in AI education?
“It is daring to challenge the status quo and trying to go beyond, and also to have the luxury of time to do research and go deep into the subject. It is a lot of hard work, but I am also a little bit jealous of being a PhD student in AI these days. So many things are becoming possible and cases are being thrown at us by society on a daily basis. It is really a time to break down the barriers and to challenge yourself and I think that is the joy of doing a PhD.”
Can you tell us more about your involvement in the TU Delft minor Engineering with AI and the importance of this subject for education?
“I was excited to join this minor at the beginning, to help understand the ethical and social aspects of AI. It is super important, but I also feel a huge responsibility to help shape the understanding of societal implications. This will form the students’ background against which they will form all their experiences in the programme and their career later on. I realise the importance of this for TU Delft.”
In the next Educator we will look back on June being the ‘Month of AI in Education’, called out by SURF Special Interest Group AI in education, the Acceleration plan and Dutch AI Coalition education working group. During this month you will for example find out what you can do with AI and what ethical considerations you have to deal with. Dive into AI with a diverse programme of webinars, hackatons and lectures. You will find the complete programme here.