AI Curriculum in US Public Education, Pursued in Orange County

An artificial intelligence-centered curriculum could reportedly be on the horizon for California's Orange County Department of Education, as pursued by two administrators who are, consequently, AI specialists.

AI specialists Kunal Dalal and Wes Kriesel work at the Orange County Department of Education. They are responsible for simplifying the process of introducing AI into the curriculum.

The pair reportedly enrolled in the district close to the end of 2023, per OCDE Newsroom. Dalal collaborates closely with 1,200 OCDE employees, and Kriesel deploys AI in 29 schools.

(Photo: JUNG YEON-JE/AFP via Getty Images) This photo, taken on February 14, 2013, shows a young computer expert studying at an internet security training center of Seoul's state-run Korea Information Technology Research Institute (KITRI).

Kriesel engages students in meaningful dialogue by utilizing artificial intelligence technologies. He provided an example of how ChatGPT might be applied in a fifth-grade classroom.

Some find the technology astounding, but others believe AI should be outlawed because it could impair creativity and critical thinking.

While calls for an AI curriculum in the US are more creatively inspired, students from London are calling for AI education to help prevent its misuse, specifically AI-generated nudes.

AI Education Call in London

Students at a London Catholic School began posting altered images of other students. School officials have reported that artificial intelligence has been used to manipulate images of children from social media sites so that they appear nude.

A fifteen-year-old ninth-grader named Griffin Gardner claimed to have heard tales of female pupils in classes 9 and 11 being picked out.

Although Gardner claims not to have seen the images, he is aware of people who have. He goes on to add that more education regarding AI is needed to prevent its development. He continues by saying that some people are only spreading it to attract attention and unnerve other kids.

Florida proves to be well ahead in AI education as the University of South Florida recently unveiled its plans to offer an AI-dedicated college that would offer new undergraduate and graduate programs focused on AI.

The announcement is reportedly an attempt to establish Florida and the Tampa Bay area as national leaders in AI, implying it is a remedy to the ongoing shortage of AI skills. The University is set to be one of the first colleges in the country and the first in Florida.

To prepare students for highly sought-after careers, the college envisions offering undergraduate and graduate programs that align with the state's Programs of Strategic Emphasis and USF's strategic plan.

Additionally, the college wants to facilitate faculty research that leads to scientific discoveries or technological advancements, build industry partnerships, and promote ethical considerations and trust amid society's ongoing digital transformation.

The First AI Degree

The Department of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Pennsylvania, an Ivy League institution, also recently announced that it will offer the first AI degree for an institution of its caliber this year.

The degree, which is formally known as a Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Artificial Intelligence, is offered at a time when AI is becoming more prevalent in practically every facet of society.

The degree is the first of its sort among Ivy League universities and among the earliest AI undergraduate engineering programs in the United States. The initiative is funded by Rajendra and Neera Singh, two digital visionaries and philanthropists.

(Photo: Tech Times)