Romania’s education ministry to test AI project in local school

The education ministry will implement a pilot project involving the use of artificial intelligence “to optimize the activity of teachers, the learning process, and the educational process.”

The announcementwas made after a meeting between the education minister, Daniel David, and the management of Microsoft Romania.

The ministry will designate the educational unit where the pilot project will be implemented, while Microsoft Romania and the management of the school will undertake the implementation of the project.

“Artificial Intelligence is a technological development that, in itself, is not good or bad, but which can become so, depending on how we use it. To be able to use it well, to the advantage of the educational system, we will pilot such an endeavor, and then, depending on the results, we will expand the process,” the minister said.

He noted the premises for the use of AI in education were there. “We have already embarked on a massive digitalization process in educational units in the country, and the framework plans include mandatory (information technology-related) and optional (including artificial intelligence) subjects associated with the technological revolution we are going through, aspects that create the premises for the more complex use of artificial intelligence in the educational environment.”

The minister further explained that, in his view, AI should be a tool for teachers and students, one whose use should be monitored from an ethical standpoint.

“In my view, artificial intelligence is a tool for the teaching staff and the student, not an alternative to the teaching staff or a tool that “makes the student lazy” and, very important to understand, it is a tool that must always be monitored ethically and morally. Various countries have already started such projects, probably the most recent example being Estonia, which already wants it generalized to the entire education system, so I do not want Romania and our educational system to be left behind.”

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