Introducing AI To Early Years:Part 2

January 23rd 2025

A Closer Look at Key Concepts 

In part one, I broke down the various AI terms. In this post, I’ll dive deeper into what AI terms mean in the broader sense and explore how they’re shaping our shared future. Like all technology, we need to understand its power and make sure it drives positive societal impact, which is anchored in the ethics of care. AI is a powerful tool, so it must be handled carefully.

First, AI requires electricity to function, and that is a useful starting point. While there is ongoing progress in making these systems more energy-efficient, the environmental footprint remains a crucial consideration, and we need to understand how we can use AI responsibly and ethically for social impact.

Let’s begin by thinking about understanding from an adult perspective how AI can help address big issues. What about some health examples? Did you know that AI can be used to improve medicines by using data generated from patients to help with diagnostics and make treatments more effective?
AI is also being used to assist radiologists to better screen for lung cancer so it can be detected much earlier and dealt with more effectively.

AI can be used to address the scourge of waste management, which is such a big sustainability issue. For example, mixed plastic recycling is quite a sticky problem because the industry (which provides jobs and products) uses huge quantities of mixed plastics and separating them into their individual component is time consuming, making complete recycling virtually impossible. Unsurprisingly, therefore a large proportion of the 4,400 million tonnes of plastic waste produced each year is incinerated or ends up in the world’s oceans.

Managing money is a concern of many people, so an AI app that helps control energy consumption by creating personalised information to manage it is a good thing for you and the environment. Supermarkets also use AI to efficiently manage vast amounts of shopping data to forecast stock levels, predict reordering and facilitate the development of new food products by identifying market trends and consumer preferences, which reduces food waste. A win-win for both the shop and the environment.

Humans are ingenious and fast to use science, technology, and biomimicry (imitating nature) to find solutions – this includes AI. For example, to solve the mixed plastics recycling conundrum, the University of Portsmouth is developing an enzyme that can breakdown this polluting plastic, which will significantly reduce marine litter.

More specifically, some people think that AI will create future businesses which will empower individuals and businesses to be more efficient, productive, and innovative. For instance, using AI-powered chatbots to handle customer inquiries, therefore reducing response times and operational costs.

Some think it might improve the quality and impact of public services by freeing up resources to drive citizen engagement and empower local communities, through using AI-driven platforms and digital assistants. This will provide residents with instant access to information and services and doing some of the admin tasks, so staff can be out and about visible in the community.

On the other hand, I asked ChatGPT (the AI application which produces human-like text in conversational mode) to describe the risks of using AI:

  1. Ethical Concerns
  • Bias and Discrimination: AI systems can inherit biases present in their training data, leading to unfair treatment in areas like hiring, lending, or law enforcement.
  • Privacy Issues: AI often relies on vast amounts of personal data, raising concerns about surveillance and data misuse.
  • Autonomy and Accountability: Decisions made by AI can sometimes lack transparency, making it difficult to determine who is responsible for errors or negative outcomes.
  1. Job Displacement
  • Automation of Jobs: AI can replace human workers in industries like manufacturing, retail, and logistics, leading to unemployment and economic inequality.
  • Skill Gaps: Workers displaced by AI may struggle to transition to new roles, especially if they lack the necessary skills for emerging industries.
  1. Security Risks
  • Cybersecurity Threats: AI can be exploited by bad actors to develop more sophisticated cyberattacks, including phishing schemes and deepfake technologies.
  • Weaponization: There is concern about the use of AI in autonomous weapons systems, which could pose significant risks in warfare.
  1. Dependence and Reliability
  • Over-Reliance on AI: Dependence on AI systems can lead to vulnerabilities when these systems fail or are compromised.
  • Errors and Misjudgements: AI systems, especially in critical areas like healthcare or autonomous vehicles, can make mistakes with severe consequences.
  1. Social and Psychological Impact
  • Loss of Human Connection: AI-powered tools in customer service or healthcare may reduce human interaction, which is essential for trust and empathy.

I would add a few more issues about the relationship between humans and machines, such as intellectual property, authorship and ownership of ideas, and political concerns. Who thinks about the many low-paid staff who have to clean up all of the unnecessary content that circulates on the dark web? We are entering the post-humanism world!

It is clear to me that if we are to manage a world of AI, everyone needs to learn the basics about the benefits and challenges of it. We need to ensure everyone is comfortable with continuous learning and adaptation of AI technologies.  We must ensure that everyone can access the tools and the training needed to thrive in this new world.

Next time, I will look at the pros and cons of AI in the daily running of a nursery, including the law.