According to a study conducted in February of this year, 88% of Moldovan schoolchildren already use artificial intelligence in their daily lives, and 60% use it daily or several times a week. To teach them how to use AI safely, UNICEF, in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Research and with financial support from the Global Partnership for Education, has developed a special training course. It consists of twenty-six practical video lessons that explain how algorithms work, their limitations, and methods for verifying generated information
The lessons explain, in particular, the risks of using AI. One such risk is deepfakes—technologically generated images, videos, and voices that are virtually indistinguishable from the real thing. With these, malicious actors can fabricate statements by teachers or create compromising material about classmates.
“Too good to be true”
There is also a risk of manipulation and disinformation, as neural networks are capable of generating extremely convincing but completely fabricated texts. As an example, experts cite so-called “hallucinations,” in which artificial intelligence can assert with complete confidence that the Republic of Moldova has access to the sea.
“There’s a golden rule: if something seems too good, too bad, or too surprising to be true, it’s most likely not true,” the authors assert.
Furthermore, excessive immersion in the virtual world puts teenagers at risk of addiction and social isolation.
At the same time, artificial intelligence can be an extremely useful tool for schools. It can explain complex topics in an accessible way, help structure a project, prepare for tests, or write simple program code. The key is to view technology as a tool, not as a way to circumvent the rules.
All course materials are freely available on the official YouTube channel of the Ministry of Education and Research.
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