As educators, we wield the power to cultivate understanding, acceptance, and empathy among our students. With each disruptive innovation, this power undergoes subtle refinement. In this era of generative AI, we are challenged to view AI Literacy not as a mere set of isolated skills but as an integral part of the vision and mission embraced by our learning community.
So, what exactly is AI Literacy?
In essence, it encompasses the capacity to comprehend, navigate, and critically engage with artificial intelligence technologies. AI Literacy calls upon us to discern the potential biases entrenched within AI systems. It compels us to actively mold and influence these technologies to champion inclusivity, equality, and respect, extending this commitment to all communities, including the LGBTQ+ community.
We must employ our voices to pose probing questions, thereby holding platforms and organizations accountable. A practical step could involve integrating a routine into our classrooms that involves interacting with OpenAI to document instances of bias in the output generated by a tool like ChatGPT. This might entail, for instance, composing a collective weekly email to OpenAI to report any discerned biases. It also calls for ensuring that families within our community are equipped to report bias incidents. Maintaining a shared document where students can report their observations for collective evaluation is another valuable approach.
To sustain this essential dialogue and establish consistent practices, the adoption of a framework is invaluable. Furthermore, co-creating such a framework as a community endeavor can be highly productive. For those considering this initiative, I provide resources on how to initiate this process within this guide.
AI literacy guides us to comprehend that Large Language Models like ChatGPT are constructed upon vast repositories of text data. As educators, we hold the power to orchestrate and advocate for the utilization of diverse voices, experiences, and perspectives in the training data for these models. In doing so, we can foster the development of AI systems that pay homage to and celebrate the rich diversity of humanity.
Although this may seem like an overwhelming undertaking, the realization that each of us can empower our students to appreciate the impact we can make renders it more attainable. In a recent investigation by the Washington Post in April, they delved into the websites commonly used by AI chatbots to enhance their illusion of human-like conversation.
Their article, "Inside the Secret List of Websites that Make AI like ChatGPT Sound Smart," revealed that Wikipedia is a prominent source for AI chatbots. But why might this pose a concern? Well, research indicates that only 18% of biographies on Wikipedia's English language site are dedicated to women. Thus, considering Wikipedia's significant role in shaping AI chatbot capabilities, AI literacy urges us to explore questions of this nature. This is precisely why the Pride Framework commences with the "P," representing "Provoke Conversations."
On your campus, every month, not just during Pride Month, presents an opportune time to underscore the importance of AI literacy. In advancing LGBTQ+ inclusion, AI algorithms possess the potential to either reinforce or challenge societal biases. We can nurture discussions that encourage students to question and comprehend the inner workings of AI systems.