On August 20, UNESCO and tech firm Gloo spotlighted AI’s growing role in education and religious life, calling for stronger digital ethics and transparency, including guidance on how to use AI ethically as a student, as schools and churches embrace automation.
From classrooms to church forms, AI is reshaping how people learn, relate to each other, and receive assistance. While this technology holds exciting possibilities, it also poses tough questions regarding privacy, discrimination, and who gets to control information.
As it spreads further, the question remains: how do we responsibly harness AI?
Why is AI a bad thing for education?
UNESCO cautions that AI can increase inequality and erode trust in education unless properly guided. Its recent policy interventions seek to provide clear guidance for generative AI in education and research.
and research to prevent abuse and help all students share the benefits equitably.
Within schools, one central concern is that students would over-rely on AI technologies and compromise their initial work as well as critical thinking. Educators also worry about AI and academic integrity because generative platforms can be used to produce essays or assignments in manner that likely does not represent authentic learning.
A second issue is bias. Because AI systems learn from recent data, they could perpetuate and mirror social or cultural bias, which presents new barriers to already disqualified students. UNESCO promotes equity, inclusion, and digital ethics and reminds us that instructing on the ethical implementation of AI is a student in every classroom.
Privacy matters as well. Among the leading AI voice solutions for educational use, there are some that gather audio data that is not secure. Teachers are calling for openness on how tools are taken and retaining students’ data.
Why is AI good for education?
Despite the concerns, there are advantages of AI in education for students and universities too. AI can support customized learning, accessibility, and faster feedback, especially when students use the best AI tools for students in a responsible manner.
UNESCO’s AI capability frameworks guide teachers to introduce students to tools that promote engagement and equity. High school educators are already adopting AI activities for high school students to facilitate experiential learning while imparting ethical thinking.
Meanwhile, colleges are adopting tools like an AI chatbot for higher education that answer course questions or resources around the clock. These tools reduce stress and improve communication between staff and students.
Even more advanced is the AI agent for education, which is a personal assistant, saying what to study, tracking progress, and reminding one of deadlines. These tools are part of an emerging trend towards integrating generative AI into classrooms without crowding out the teacher’s role.
The true intention is to facilitate human learning, not to automate it. That’s why students need to keep learning how to use AI ethically as a student to ensure their privacy, exercise critical thinking, and fully leverage the benefits of AI in education for students.
As AI grows more powerful, both in the classroom and out, one lesson stands in stark relief: new tools create new values. And the most important lesson of all may be teaching students how to use AI in an ethically as a student.
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