harishs (CC0), Pixabay

The new AI Pioneers project is a Erasmus+ Large Scale new type of project. Building on the successful Taccle AI project, AI pioneers is scheduled to start early in 2023.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be defined as a computer system that has been designed to interact with   in ways we think of as human and intelligent. Ample data, cheap computing and AI algorithms mean technology that can learn very quickly. The transformative power of AI cuts across all economic and social sectors, including education. UNESCO says AI has the potential to accelerate the process of achieving the global education goals through reducing barriers to accessing learning, automating management processes, and optimizing methods to improve learning outcomes. Education will be profoundly transformed by AI. Teaching tools, ways of learning, access to knowledge, and teacher training will be revolutionized. A European Joint Research Council policy foresight report suggests that "in the next years AI will change learning, teaching, and education. The speed of technological change will be very fast, and it will create high pressure to transform educational practices, institutions, and policies." They say it is therefore important to understand the potential impact of AI on learning, teaching, and education, as well as on policy development.

The European Digital Education Action Plan has two strategic priorities:

• Supporting the development of a high-performing digital education ecosystem,
• Addressing the need to enhance digital competences for the digital transformation.

The project will be cross sectoral in VET and Adult Education. Central to our application is to build a reference network of AI Pioneers(trainers, stakeholders, policy makers and educational planners) for promoting the use and teaching of AI in Adult Education and VET. AI Pioneers will act as reference points for the design and implementation of future educational projects related to AI at regional, national and European levels. Further objectives include policy recommendations, toolkits and implementation guidelines for AI Pioneers; to identify, develop, and pilot use cases of artificial intelligence in education; to develop a supplement to the DigCompEDU Framework describing the skills and competences of teachers and trainers related to AI in Education; to develop guidelines (in line with existing EU policies) for ethical and trustworthy use of AI in education. The project will involve stakeholders throughout the AI system’s life cycle, fostering training and education so that all stakeholders understand the issues in developing ethical and trustworthy approaches to the use of AI in education.