How AI is bringing challenges to the field of education

I recently organised the Lovelace-Hodgkin Symposium on AI Ethics, in collaboration with Dr Lydia Bach (Equality, Diversity, Inclusion Officer, University of Glasgow) and Professor Ana Basiri (Director, Centre for Data Science and AI, University of Glasgow).

The event was inspired by my experience in higher education, listening to students and colleagues and their concerns around AI and questions of ethics. The symposium covered wide-ranging topics from feminism in AI, race, disability, and environmental considerations. The symposium cast new light on AI ethics in education and has helped shape my thinking about a call to action for educators and decisionmakers across Scotland.

Public debate around AI is often deeply divided. On one side, there’s admiration, hailing AI as a transformative force for good. On the other, there's criticism, warning of its potential dangers. Too often, these discussions consider AI technologies as if they are sentient beings, either “good” or “bad”. They are neither.

They are tools, which mirror the biases, inequalities, and accepted norms of the societies that build them. The way we talk about AI matters. When we give it human qualities, we risk masking the real issue: the ethical challenges we face – like bias and discrimination – are not caused by the technology itself but by the human systems and societies behind it.

Educators will have to grapple with and AI future (Image: PA) A recent report published by the Learned Societies’ Group, Royal Society of Edinburgh, led by Professor Martin Hendry (Vice-Principal Academic Services, University of Glasgow) highlights the importance of teaching ethical literacies from a young age.

By introducing these ideas in schools, we can demystify AI and help students understand that these technologies are human-made tools, capable of perpetuating or reinforcing social inequalities. Ethical discussions in education must go beyond superficial concerns like cheating and focus on deeper, more critical questions.

Key to ethical considerations around AI is asking not just whether we can develop a certain technology, but whether we should. This distinction is crucial, yet often overlooked in the race to innovate.

As Professor Ana Basiri proposed at the symposium, “We can go fast in technology development, but we also need to go deep”. This sentiment underscores the importance of pausing to ask meaningful questions about the kind of AI we want. What does AI mean for marginalised communities? Will it challenge or entrench existing power structures?

Ethics in AI education isn’t just an academic concern – it’s a societal one. Dr Mhairi Aitken from The Alan Turing Institute stresses the importance of putting children's ideas,rights and safety at the centre of AI development.

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Today’s children are growing up in a world shaped by AI, and they deserve a voice in how these technologies evolve. Grassroots initiatives, like those led by the Children’s Parliament and the Scottish AI Alliance, offer a promising model of how to engage young people in these vital conversations.

MSP Clare Adamson, Chair of the Scottish Parliament’s Cross-Party Committee on STEM and Technology, echoes the need for further collaboration between policy makers, educators and community groups on key questions around digital rights and ethics. Sustained political support could ensure that ethical AI education becomes a national priority, laying the foundation for a society in which AI is built and used responsibly.

The responsibility doesn’t end with schools. Scottish universities, too, have a role to play as AI reshapes higher education. Anxiety is growing, with concerns that AI could replace traditional learning methods or encourage academic misconduct.

AI will change the way we learn (Image: PA) But as Professor Hendry suggests, universities must move beyond simply policing AI use. Instead, we should foster spaces where students can critically engage with these technologies. Rather than seeing AI as something to fear, students should be encouraged to question its role in society.

Universities should create spaces for collaborative learning, where students are encouraged to critique AI technologies. Professor Chris Pearce (Vice-Principal Research, University of Glasgow) has noted that no one institution leads in the AI ethics space, it is complex and rapidly changing, but the more we can work together, the more comprehensive and informed our approaches will be. As Dr Lydia Bach puts it, "The key is to foster a collaborative dialogue among students, staff, and stakeholders to shape the future of AI in higher education together”.

In the long run, AI could drive education toward a more human-centred focus, one that prioritises ethical decision-making and inclusivity. Professor Leanne Williams (University of Warwick and LearnSci) believes AI has the potential to break down barriers for students with disabilities, specific learning difficuties, and neurodiversity.

But to realise this potential, we need policies that reflect individual learning preferences and diverse voices in these conversations. AI is here to stay, and as it evolves, our teaching must evolve too. The responsibility is clear: educators, students, and policymakers must work together to ensure AI serves society ethically, equitably, and responsibly.

Dr Ciorsdaidh Watts is a Senior Lecturer in Chemistry, University of Glasgow, co-creator of the Lovelace-Hodgkin Symposium on AI Ethics, advocate for ethics in scientific discourse, and mum of two. Follow me on X/Twitter using @Ciorsdaidh and @LHSymposiumAI