AI in Education Bi-weekly Digest - Issue #12

Welcome to the 12th issue! In this newsletter, we explore various developments and discussions in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and education. Microsoft is partnering with eight universities in Hong Kong to introduce generative AI technology, aiming to enhance the educational experience and improve teaching and learning quality. OpenAI has released the third version of its generative AI visual art platform, DALL·E, which now integrates with ChatGPT to simplify prompt generation. Additionally, we highlight a research team from The Chinese University of Hong Kong winning the ACM SIGKDD Best Paper Award.

Upcoming Events:

Hands-on Workshop@CUHK: AI-based Student Profiling and Learner Level Prediction - Even though the well-received workshop is full, register to secure a priority seat for the next round. This workshop will provide an opportunity to learn about a wide range of possible applications across different disciplines, such as predicting students' performance, implementing automatic warning/intervention systems, and developing individualized education systems.

News and Interviews:

DALL·E 3 - OpenAI has released the third version of its generative AI visual art platform, DALL·E. This new version integrates with ChatGPT, eliminating the need for users to come up with prompts themselves. Users can now rely on ChatGPT to generate prompts for DALL-E 3, making it more accessible to individuals who struggle with creating detailed prompts.

CUHK Scholars Become the First in Hong Kong to Win the ACM SIGKDD Best Paper Award - Professor Cheng Hong and her research team from The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) have won the Best Paper Award (Research Track) at the ACM SIGKDD International Conference 2023. Their paper, titled "All in One: Multi-task Prompting for Graph Neural Networks," introduces a novel prompting method that enables AI models to understand and process non-linear data, such as graphs. This approach significantly improves the accuracy of AI models by 1% to 8%. The research has implications for various fields, including complex geographic and traffic analysis, vaccine and drug development, and social network big data analysis. This achievement marks the first time researchers from Hong Kong have received this prestigious accolade.

Microsoft to Bring OpenAI to Eight Hong Kong Universities to Deploy Generative AI Tech in Education - Microsoft is collaborating with eight universities in Hong Kong to introduce generative AI technology in education. Through Microsoft's Azure OpenAI service, students will have direct access to ChatGPT and DALL-E, enabling applications in areas such as course design, evaluation, research, and administrative tasks. The partnership aims to modernize the educational experience and enhance teaching and learning quality.

Neuralink, Elon Musk's Brain Implant Startup, Set to Begin Human Trials - Elon Musk's brain implant startup, Neuralink, is preparing to conduct its first human clinical trial after receiving approval from an independent review board. The trial, known as the PRIME Study, aims to assess the safety and functionality of brain implants by offering them to paralysis patients. The implanted chip will be placed in the area of the brain responsible for movement intention and will record and transmit brain signals to an app. The initial goal is to enable individuals to control a computer cursor or keyboard using their thoughts.

Articles & Blogs:

Skip the AI Hype: What Can Educators Do with It - The article features an interview with John Bailey from the American Enterprise Institute, discussing the potential impact of AI in education. Bailey discusses the potential of AI as an instructional assistant, reducing administrative tasks for teachers, assisting parents with education-related tasks, and aiding administrators in document drafting and automation. Bailey encourages educators and system leaders to explore AI tools, consider their applications, and use them safely and responsibly.

Generation AI: Education Reluctantly Embraces the Bots – The article discusses the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in education and the challenges and benefits associated with it. Various universities, such as Lund University in Sweden, the University of Western Australia, and the University of Hong Kong, have explored the use of AI tools like ChatGPT in academic settings. UNESCO has released global guidance on AI in education, addressing issues such as data protection and the need for AI skills among teachers. The article also highlights the limitations of AI in terms of fact-checking and access to specific information.

Artificial Intelligence for Accelerating Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: Addressing Society's Greatest Challenges – Representatives from governments, leading AI firms, academic institutions, and civil society organizations showcased concrete applications of AI in areas such as health, education, food security, energy, and climate action during the United Nations' 78th Session High Level Week. The event emphasized the need for responsible and inclusive AI governance to ensure that AI benefits all parts of the world and does not exacerbate inequality or bias. Participating countries and companies made commitments, including financial assistance, training programs, and partnerships, to advance the use of AI for the SDGs and address global challenges.

ChatGPT Can Get Good Grades. What Should Educators Do about It? – A new study suggests that AI language models like ChatGPT can write essays that receive high grades, posing a challenge for educators. Researchers found that in nearly 30% of courses, ChatGPT's responses received equivalent or better marks than student work. This highlights the need for educators to rethink how they structure their courses and assess students. To address the issue, some teachers are modifying questions to make them harder for AI to answer. However, the focus should be on addressing the root causes of academic dishonesty and promoting a genuine desire for learning. Educators could design courses that encourage growth over competition and use AI as a tool for personalized feedback and brainstorming.

Artificial Intelligence And Education: A Reading List - This reading list explores the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and education, offering insights into the opportunities and challenges posed by AI in the educational landscape. The articles cover various topics, including AI applications in education, the implications of large language models like ChatGPT, the risks and impacts of AI, the role of AI in complementing human capabilities, policy considerations, disinformation and deepfakes, the limits of AI, the potential benefits of generative AI in education, academic integrity concerns, and the need for an AI Bill of Rights for education.

Tools/Resources:

Disclaimer: AI in Education has no affiliation with any highlighted free or commercial products in this section.

Sizzle - Sizzle, a free AI-powered learning app and chatbot, provides step-by-step solutions to math equations and word problems, with additional features such as grading capabilities, alternative approaches, multiple answers, and the ability to upload photos of assignments. Unlike other learning apps, Sizzle acts as a tutor, guiding students and allowing them to ask questions for better understanding.

LangChain – LangChain is a framework for developing context-aware applications powered by language models. It provides abstractions and implementations for working with language models, along with off-the-shelf chains for specific tasks.

---

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in the linked posts are those of the speakers and or their entities and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the project AI in Education, Centre for Learning Enhancement And Research, and The Chinese University of Hong Kong.