The Ethical Challenges of Educational Artificial Intelligence and Coping Measures: A Discussion in the Context of the 2024 World Digital Education Conference

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI), as the core technology of the fourth industrial revolution, has been widely deployed in many areas, bringing tremendous changes to human society. At the same time, AI has also instigated a variety of ethical issues regarding basic human rights, social order, private safety, and more. In order to maintain a balance between technological development and the ethics of AI, governments of various countries and international organizations are working to develop AI regulations and ethical norms. A forum themed “Artificial Intelligence and Digital Ethics” was held as a side event during the 2024 World Digital Education Conference (WDEC), showcasing the Chinese government’s adherence to the ethical notion of “human-centered AI” and the principle of “digital for good” in using AI in digital education. The forum emphasized the importance of establishing the ethics of educational AI for circumventing relevant ethical risks and creating healthy environments for the digital transformation of education. Based on the forum’s theme, this article seeks to set forth the necessity of formulating a code of ethical norms for educational AI and to explore pathways to building an ethical framework in this regard in order to provide insights into the rational application of AI in education and promote the sustainable development of digital education.