Staff factsheet: AI in schools

Get your head around the basics of generative AI, including ChatGPT, and what it means for your school. Share this information with your staff and governors or trustees, to get everyone on the same page.

Last reviewed on 16 May 2023
School types: AllSchool phases: AllRef: 46559
Contents
  1. What is AI?
  2. How to respond to AI
  3. Share this information with your staff and governors

What is AI?

AI isn't new

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the use of computer systems to solve problems and make decisions. It’s already a part of everyday life – you’ve probably come across it in the form of personalised suggestions on social media, shopping sites or route-planning apps.

However, the technology is developing rapidly and throwing up many new applications and challenges for schools.

What is generative AI?

Generative AI takes a written prompt and runs it through an algorithm to generate new, ‘natural’-seeming content – i.e. it seems like it was created by a person, not a computer. Tools include:

  • Chatbots such as ChatGPT, Google Bard and GrammarlyGO, which generate text
  • Text-to-image programs like DALL-E and Midjourney, which create images

How to respond to AI

Consider how you will approach homework and whether you need to revise your homework policy to take into account