Will AI in Schools Widen the Digital Divide?

Educators and education-technology professionals worry that artificial intelligence (AI) in the classroom could further widen digital inequities. The US Department of Education Office of Educational Technology's May 2023 "Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Teaching and Learning" report warned that “algorithmic bias could diminish equity at scale with unintended discrimination." Further, it stated, "Bias is intrinsic to how AI algorithms are developed...and the department holds that biases in AI algorithms must be addressed when they introduce or sustain unjust discriminatory practices in education.” However, Julianne Robar, the Director of Meta Data and Product Interoperability for Ed-Tech company Renaissance, says there's competition to develop AI tools that can help close the gap. Renaissance developed an AI-powered speech recognition software, Lalilo, to teach reading to younger students. Tools like this can free up teachers to spend more time with students who need extra help.