In our class today we talked about ethical implications under the banner of the guiding metaphor of AI as a double edged sword. Other revolutionary technologies such as textile looms that put highly skilled artisans out of work but also helped provide inexpensive clothing to the masses fit with the idea that all forms of new technology create both good and bad changes. We discussed the use of water as an issue in AI and compared other uses of energy to AI prompts. For example a 15 minute shower is equal to 413 text prompts in AI. Videos take the most energy with one video being equal to 5,600 google searches.
Militarization of AI is also a concern that has ethical implications for educators interested in using AI or promoting it as a tool. Recently Canada’s Minister of Artificial Intelligence, Evan Solomon met with Iddo Moed, Israel’s Ambassador to Canada to discuss “ongoing engagement on technology, AI and economic development.” This is concerning because of the way Israel has and continues to use AI to manage Palestinians freedom of movement as documented in the Australian journalist Anthony Loewenstein’s book, “The Palestine Laboratory: How Israel Exports the Technology of Occupation Around the World.”
For new teachers, AI can help save time as it is useful in developing lesson plans, assignment sheets, quizzes and much more. The infographic below was created with Notebook LM. Another useful way to use Notebook LM is in creating Jeopardy games which I have seen done in schools to the great enjoyment of students. As a new ESL teacher, I and my students could have greatly benefited from AI tools. Perhaps my first few years of teaching would have been smoother. That being said, teachers also need to be prepared for technology to fail as it sometimes does because of weather or other unpredictable factors. I still think about the ability to teach in difficult conditions, such as my class in Thailand with fifty students and no projector, or printer. I also think about equity and the ways the developed world is increasingly high tech while resources remain unfairly distributed. I think teaching can be enriched using AI but I hope it will not come to dominate most educational spaces.
