UNESCO has launched AI competency frameworks to help students and educators understand the intricacies of artificial intelligence. These frameworks recognize that AI differs from other digital technologies due to its capacity to significantly alter societies, economies, and education systems. A core focus is placed on ethical considerations, including transparency, privacy, and fairness, which are paramount in the AI landscape. UNESCO’s guidelines advocate for a human-centered approach, promoting responsible AI usage, and integrating AI techniques into educational curricula, ensuring that AI serves to enhance, rather than undermine, human decision-making.

The student framework adopts a balanced approach, emphasizing competencies in four key areas: a human-centered mindset that encourages thoughtful engagement with AI, ethics prioritizing responsible AI usage, foundational AI knowledge providing essential understanding of AI principles, and AI system design skills enabling students to participate in AI development. UNESCO aims to foster interdisciplinary learning by embedding AI-related topics into STEM and social sciences core subjects. This ensures students develop both technical skills and the critical thinking abilities needed to address AI’s societal implications.

UNESCO’s initiative raises critical questions for education systems worldwide: How can countries adapt these frameworks to their unique cultural and social contexts? What support is needed to facilitate educators’ adoption of these new competencies? How can students learn to engage responsibly with AI while navigating its ethical dilemmas? What measures should be implemented to promote ethical AI design and usage in education? These questions are essential for the responsible integration of AI into classrooms globally.

The DRONE project provides a valuable opportunity to apply these new AI competencies, particularly in fostering critical thinking and digital literacy. By directly addressing disinformation, the project aligns with UNESCO’s framework, equipping participants with tools to critically evaluate AI-driven content. Incorporating AI literacy into DRONE’s activities can empower participants to navigate AI challenges, promote responsible use, and mitigate potential risks. In doing so, the project contributes to the broader objective of preparing education systems for responsible AI integration

You can find more information about UNESCO’s AI competency frameworks and their approach to AI in education on their official page.