Chapter 1: Introduction models. They worry whether recommendations suggested by an algorithm would be fair. Educators’ concerns are manifold. Everyone in education has a responsibility to harness the good to serve educational priorities while also protecting against the dangers that may arise as a result of AI being integrated in edtech. To develop guidance for edtech, the Department works closely with educational constituents. These constituents include educational leaders—teachers, faculty, support staff, and other educators—researchers; policymakers; advocates and funders; technology developers; community members and organizations; and, above all, learners and their families/caregivers. Recently, through its activities with constituents, the Department noticed a sharp rise in interest and concern about AI. For example, a 2021 field scan found that developers of all kinds of technology systems—for student information, classroom instruction, school logistics, parent- teacher communication, and more—expect to add AI capabilities to their systems. Through a series of four listening sessions conducted in June and August 2022 and attended by more than 700 attendees, it became clear that constituents believe that action is required now in order to get ahead of the expected increase of AI in education technology— and they want to roll up their sleeves and start working together. In late 2022 and early 2023, the public became aware of new generative AI chatbots and began to explore how AI could be used to write essays, create lesson plans, produce images, create personalized assignments for students, and more. From public expression in social media, at conferences, and in news media, the Department learned more about risks and benefits of AIenabled chatbots. And yet this report will not focus on a specific AI tool, service, or announcement, because AI-enabled systems P a g e | 3
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