U.S. Senate’s AI Roadmap

Yesterday the US Senate released a bipartisan “roadmap” for AI policy and priorities with a goal of “harnessing the full potential of AI while minimizing the risks of AI in the near and long term.” Educators, however, won’t be too surprised by where the focus was, and wasn’t.

Key priorities included increased funding and support for AI innovation, workforce impact, responsible deployment in critical sectors like health care, intellectual property and other legal issues, personal and national security considerations, and international collaboration.

And even though the document begins by elaborating on the lengths to which they invested in first educating themselves on AI - holding briefings for senators and nine bipartisan AI Insight Forums on various topics with over 150 expert participants – there’s very little mention in regards to education or education initiatives after that.

Of the many challenges and issues identified, none touched on the need for AI literacy or guidance at the school level, or the role of educators in general, despite recognizing their own critical need for foundational knowledge building.

There was also some mention of research and workforce re/upskilling, plus a blink and you’ll miss it mention of a “public awareness and education campaign.”

Even the consideration for the need to protect “children from potential AI powered harms online,” the responsibility is placed on company product design and not literacy initiatives.

The Senate's AI policy roadmap is a significant step towards addressing the opportunities and challenges posed by this transformative technology. However, the absence of substantial education initiatives is a cause for concern. As the Senators themselves recognized, foundational knowledge building is crucial for informed decision-making and responsible AI deployment, which we need in schools.

Educators must and will play a vital role in preparing the next generation for an AI-driven world. By neglecting the importance of AI literacy at the school level and the role of educators in general, the roadmap misses a critical opportunity to empower students with the skills and understanding necessary to navigate and shape the future of AI.

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