Education on AI and ethics

Create training and education pathways that include ethics and human rights in AI

What is the problem to be solved?

The ability to recognise and deal with ethical and human rights aspects of emerging digital technologies (such as AI) depends on awareness and understanding which is currently lacking throughout the educational system.

Who should act?

European Commission, Councel of Europe, National education bodies, any bodies involved in designing curricula,

What is the recommendation?

Teaching of digital competence needs to be coupled with teaching of its ethical and human rights aspects.

Update current technology-oriented curricula to ensure that ethical and human rights aspects of AI and related technologies are clearly covered. Specific curricula should include

  • Formal education

    • Primary education

    • Secondary education

    • Relevant undergraduate and postgraduate courses

  • Non formal education

Key considerations

In creating and/or implementing the education of ethics and digital technolgies, key considerations are that it is complementary with the following initiatives:

The relevance of education pathways is also shown by SHERPA work with regards to:

SHERPA contribution

The importance of education was brought up by the SHERPA stakeholder board and was investigated further in the Online Survey and the Delphi Study.

SHERPA has provided

  • Accounts of ethical and human rights issues of AI as part of its case study research.

  • Likely future issues as discussed in the SHERPA scenarios.

  • An analysis of the Human rights aspects. LINK?

  • Two sets of guidelines for operationalisation of ethics by design for developers and for users of smart information systems.