Blog 20 May 2020

Artificial intelligence will remain a tool controlled by humans also in the future

Artificial intelligence is a megatrend, and understanding it will be part of adults’ basic skills in a near future. This is why adult education offering on this topic should be increased. At the core of this new civic skill is the ability to watch the emergence of artificial intelligence with a cool analytical approach.

Markus Palmén

Professor Teemu Roos, who studies artificial intelligence, believes that machines will serve people also in the future, not the other way around. Photo: Maarit Kytöharju

Artificial intelligence is a growing megatrend that affects everything we do – in the future and even now. Artificial intelligence refers to the ability of computers to independently solve problems by imitating the human ability to learn. Did you recently run a Google search or read a news item recommended by your smartphone? While doing so, you used artificial intelligence. Few of us have tried a robot car yet, but artificial intelligence is also expected to deliver them in the future.

Artificial intelligence technology will revolutionise education and teaching, too (see the information box at the end of the article). In this blog, we look at artificial intelligence as part of digital literacy. Training that develops this new civic skill is already available, but the offering of low-threshold adult education should be increased.

Artificial intelligence courses for citizens needed

As artificial intelligence applications become ubiquitous in our society, understanding artificial intelligence becomes a key part of digital literacy and basic skills for adults. Adult education teachers must lead the way in understanding artificial intelligence, as it is up to them to convey their vision and understanding of this phenomenon to their students.

While citizens' opportunities for familiarising themselves with the basics of this technology are limited even on a global scale, the situation is changing, and Finland is at the forefront of this change. Leading artificial intelligence researchers, including Rose Luckin at University College London, rate the University of Helsinki's Elements of AI online course as an initiative of global importance in srtificial intelligence education. This open and free online course consisting of several modules provides an introduction to the theme. The first part of the course does not require prior studies or programming skills. It focuses not only on technology but also the political and working life impacts of artificial intelligence. More than 200,000 Finnish people have already registered for the course, and about one in ten of have completed all the assignments and obtained a certificate.

Similar courses intended for citizens in other countries include the National AI course compiled by the University of Amsterdam and Stanford University's business-oriented AI for everyone.

Let's make AI boring again!

What are the constituent elements of this new skill, the aim of which is understanding artificial intelligence? The teacher in charge of the Elements of AI course, Professor of Computer Science Teemu Roos, has a clear mission for his course. Having completed the course, the students will be able to form a scientifically detached and balanced view of the societal impacts created by artificial intelligence. This is largely about media literacy.

"Public discussion and media reports on artificial intelligence are polarised. The development is either seen as leading to a dystopia (‘Big Brother is watching’) or discussed in a hysterical tone (‘machines are taking over our jobs’). Our goal is to make artificial intelligence boring again”, Roos laughs.

AI is a tool

Teemu Roos perceives two possible scenarios for the development of artificial intelligence. In the first one, programming simple artificial intelligence algorithms becomes a general skill that is already taught at the basic level. Rather than turning all of us into coders, it would give all information workers an ability to understand the potential of artificial intelligence and design applications whose technical implementation would be left to professional programmers.

The second scenario is based on AI tools becoming so advanced that technical coding skills are no longer needed. In that case, artificial intelligence will seamlessly become a large but rather inconspicuous part of our daily lives.

Both descriptions emphasise the role of artificial intelligence as a servant rather than a master, and understanding this will be part of the new civic skills. The role of humans as creative experts of the subject matter will prevail. Neither will technology turn anyone into an expert of any subject; it is nothing more or less than a tool.

“As technology advances, there is a risk of the tools becoming so easy to use that users have illusions about the limits of their competence. For example, I am thinking of all the coronavirus models produced by ‘enthusiasts’ during the state of emergency caused by the pandemic”, notes Roos.

Teachers are invaluable

Roos says that when considering the transformation of working life and education, we should understand that the automation of routine tasks is where artificial intelligence comes to its own. Tasks based on personal encounters and open outcomes are difficult for artificial intelligence to handle. Teaching still is a task of this type.

“In a country like Finland where teachers’ professional skills are of the highest standard, replacing teachers with machines will certainly not be possible. At best, however, artificial intelligence can support teachers in their work by means of learning analytics. Artificial intelligence has great potential in teaching when it is harnessed for the use of a skilled teacher”, Roos reflects.

INFORMATION BOX

How will artificial intelligence revolutionise learning? Artificial intelligence will influence learning and the field of education on two fronts: as a learning assistant and as an observer of learning at the metalevel.

Assistant An AI application on a computer or smart device can serve as a teacher, or a learner's personal assistant, which follows the student's progress and recommends suitable assignments or study modules. In this case, the application to be used may comprise online study material or a smartphone application. This does not necessarily mean distance education. Based on the learner's profile, an AI application can recommend a suitable real-life teacher or study circle.

Artificial intelligence can assist teachers in mechanical tasks, such as assessing multiple choice assignments. This frees up the teacher's time for interacting with learners.

The ability of AI to tailor learning raises hopes of its possibilities of bringing affordable education to masses and thus helping make education more democratic. Such researchers as Rose Luckin at the UCL point out that to ensure their quality, the development of AI applications for learning should be led by pedagogues.

Observer An AI application can observe learners' progress while collecting data on their individual challenges and learning bottlenecks, helping the teacher develop his or her didactics. In this case, the application to be used could be a program which records the learner's facial expressions or an online learning material package.