Trying To Solve An Ethical Impasse

If you have been reading my recent posts you would have gathered the difficulty I have with generative AI as a technology. My post, ‘Just Because We Can, Does That Mean We Should?’ lays out where I currently stand on this topic and how I got to the position where I believe the negative issues around the development of generative AI, its effects on the environment, on individuals mental health, on jobs and on learning and more, all outweigh the possible benefits of using it.

However, I am fully aware that in holding this critical position, there is the potential that schools could see me as someone who is critical of generative AI, who would therefore be unable to help and support them in this aspect, and maybe some even believing that I'm 'out of touch'. So, there is a potential conflict between my AI views and my role in providing advice, support and training on this subject to primary schools.

It seems like I’m at an ethical or moral impasse. On one hand I am very aware of the major ethical issues associated with generative AI and would rather we (teachers and learners) didn’t have to use it. But on the other hand, generative AI is already ‘out there’ for teachers and learners to use. The Welsh government are soon going to launch an updated DCF that will provide learners with the digital skills to engage with generative AI, ethically and critically, and many schools will soon be looking for my help in understanding and embedding whatever is going to be required within the updated framework. 

I’ve now come to realise that this ethical impasse has been pretty much the cause of my ongoing, conflicting feelings about generative AI that I have been having for many months. Therefore the question I now need to find an answer to is, how am I going to align these two things? Is there a possible middle path that I can travel where I will be happy in helping schools with generative AI as it will soon become part of the curriculum, while also holding my own personal views about the technology being fundamentally, ‘unethical’?

Maybe my way forward will involve quiet resistance. Keeping a low profile, which will probably involve not writing so many critical blog posts about the generative AI, while ensuring I don't personally use these technologies. If someone asks me about my thoughts about AI, I'll keep my answer short and simple and attempt to change the subject and making sure I don't go on long rant as I have been doing! Apologies to everyone who has been recently on the receiving end of one of these rants 🤣

Or, maybe I'll take the subtle disobedience route, by trying to follow my conscience despite external pressures (Welsh Government, curriculum). Still refraining from using generative AI myself and speaking up or writing critically about the topic when I feel it's justified, but maybe not as much or explicitly as I have been. 😉

Whichever personal route I choose, I am looking forward to updating The Digital Learning Den to reflect whatever changes are brought in with the new DCF and continuing to provide advice, support and training to primary schools on the DCF and computer science.