I previously blogged about AI in January 2023 (The Sky is Falling … AGAIN) just when the ChatGPT phenomenon was hitting its stride. ChatGPT was launched on November 30, 2022 and when it emerged, it took the world by storm. It has been described as the ‘fastest consumer software application in history‘. In two months, by January 2023 it had recorded over 100 million users and created a buzz around the globe.

ChatGPT: A chatbot and virtual assistant developed by OpenAI that uses series of Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT) models. In essence, ChatGPT allows the user to create new content by entering specific prompts into the platform.

Being free to use it created a logjam of people trying to access this intriguing new tool. In January 2023 alone, ChatGPT had over 1.6 billion visits.

Since the ChatGPT launch in November 2022, the entire AI world has exploded with access — there are literally hundreds (thousands?) of software applications that are taking advantage of the power of generative AI — with its speed, its ability to summarize / find themes in data and text, as well as its ability to generate new text or images.

Yes, I used generative AI to produce the images in today’s blog post — I used Copilot from Microsoft.

Every new week seems to bring a new assortment of AI tools, software or abilities. Here are some fairly recent stats about how generative AI is being accessed in 2024:

• The current global generative AI market is worth approximately $67 billion (est. $92 billion by year’s end);
• 92% of Fortune 500 firms have adopted generative AI in their workplace;
• 70% of Gen Z (born 1997-2011) have tried generative AI tools;
• 95% of consumer interactions may involve AI by 2025.

So, what about K-12 education?

Absolutely.

AI has already made its way into K-12 education, both educationally and on the business side as well. You can find it on various software applications and teacher-focused websites which help create things such as levelled lessons and assessments. AI can also streamline the business-side of K-12 — things like doing repetitive administrative tasks, managing student files, or being a possible adjunct to HR services such as onboarding or surveys.

As this disruptive new technology matures and becomes even more accessible, there are both exciting opportunities as well as legitimate cautions about how we should be using it.

One of the ‘fears’ I have repeatedly heard is about how students may use it to cheat on their assignments. It’s an interesting caution, and one that we certainly need to be aware about, but it’s also important to be clear that AI is not going to be the cause of cheating. A study in the US found that 60-70% of high school students admitted to cheating even before AI was a thing. Interestingly, when polled again in 2023 the cheating rate remained flat at 60-70%. AI is not a cause of cheating.

AI is a tool.

• AI has the ability to greatly enhance the instructional core:
  • Teacher: Improving teacher knowledge and skill
  • Student: Improving student engagement
  • Content: Creating leveled content & assessments
• The AI conversation should be about finding how AI can fit within our K-12 landscape — where we can enhance teaching pedagogy and practice, increase efficacy and efficiency, and streamline both the education and business side of the system.

There is a lot to learn — and a lot to think about. AI is here and it’s learning and changing every day.

As we peel back the first layer of the AI onion, we realize that there is still lots more to understand and discover. Patience and being thoughtful are the ways forward.

Take the necessary time to build understanding and system capacity, create a pathway towards ‘Best Practices in AI‘, and provide a safe learning space for staff and students to explore the AI possibilities.

Exciting times for sure!

I bet this is what people felt like when the pumpkin spice latte first came out — it was new, everybody wanted one, and we wondered what was next.