New research paves way for Artificial Intelligence in education

   Over 500 respondents contributed to the Department for Education’s call
   for evidence on generative AI.

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   Education professionals, Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology
   specialists, and ed-tech experts are embracing the opportunities
   offered by AI in the education sector, according to the results of the
   government’s first ever Call for Evidence on Artificial Intelligence in
   Education, published today.

   Results show that many respondents recognise the benefits of AI and
   some are already using AI tools to streamline administrative tasks,
   create subject-specific resources and provide personalised support for
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   The report will provide a base to inform future policy on AI, and the
   government is already supporting the sector to realise the potential of
   AI in education.

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   £2 million in Oak National Academy to create new teaching tools using
   AI, followed by a two-day hackathon hosted by the Department for
   Education in collaboration with Faculty AI, the National Institute of
   Teaching, which brought together teachers, leaders, students and
   technology experts to experiment with AI.

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     Artificial intelligence is here to stay and it’s already changing
     the way we work and learn. To take advantage of this transformative
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     It’s heartening that many education professionals are already seeing
     the tangible benefits of AI – something I witnessed myself at our AI
     hackathon earlier this month – while remaining alert to its risks.
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     The results of the call for evidence give us a crucial evidence base
     to inform our future work on AI, helping us make the right decisions
     to get the best out of generative AI in a safe and secure way.

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     It’s encouraging to see from this report how many institutions are
     already embracing AI, and how staff are using it in creative ways to
     improve education.
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     training is in place, along with guidelines around safe, ethical use
     of AI.

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     The use of generative AI in the education sector is a critically
     important area that deserves significant attention, and we welcome
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     There are multiple ways in which generative AI could benefit the
     sector – but simultaneously, there are concerns and risks that must
     be addressed. These include dependency on commercial generative AI,
     the possible infringement of rights, the spread of bias and
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     engage children and young people in the development and deployment
     of generative AI in education.

   Sir Antony Seldon, founder of AI in Education and Headmaster of Epsom
   College, said:
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     It is great that the Department for Education is being proactive in
     its approach to artificial intelligence.

     It’s crucial that the government is alive to the risks and
     opportunities AI offers to the education sector, and this Call for
     Evidence, which we were pleased to contribute to, will form an
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   While respondents are broadly optimistic about the benefits AI could
   bring, they also recognise risks around harmful content, intellectual
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   The Government’s AI Regulation White Paper set out the first steps
   towards establishing a regulatory framework for AI, including working
   with UK regulators on how they might need to regulate the technology
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   The government committed to evaluate and adapt the UK’s regulatory
   approach as AI evolves, and the insights from this call for evidence
   will continue to shape policy in this emerging area.

   Earlier this year, the UK also convened the world’s first AI Safety
   Summit at Bletchley Park, which brought together world leaders,
   businesses, and civil society to build consensus on international
   action to ensure safety at the frontier of AI.

   This drive to harness the potential of AI comes as new analysis is
   published by the government on the impact of AI on Jobs and Training.

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   The Department for Education has also today published research
   trialling the use of AI to explore how it could be used to support the
   civil service by providing summaries and analysis. AI was used to
   analyse the 38 Local Skills Improvements Plans as part of a pilot
   project with Faculty AI.

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   hackathon, further supporting the department’s work to understand how
   AI could safely transform the education sector.

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     * AI Safety Summit 2023