Against Artificial Education: Towards an Ethical Framework for Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use in Education

Abstract

The arrival of generative artificial intelligence (AI) is fundamentally different from prior technologies used in educational settings. Educators and researchers of online, blended, and in-person learning are still coming to grips with how to employ current AI technologies in the learning experience, let alone understanding the potential consequences that future and unknown developments in AI will produce. Despite potential risks, AI may revolutionize previous models of teaching and learning, and perhaps create opportunities to realize progressive educational goals. Given the longstanding tradition of using philosophy to examine questions surrounding ethics, ontology, technology, and education, the purpose of this critical reflection paper is to draw from prominent philosophers across these disciplines to address the question: how can AI be employed in future educational contexts in a humanizing and ethical manner? Drawing from the work of Gunther Anders, Michel Foucault, Paolo Freire, Benjamin Bloom, and Hannah Arendt, we propose a framework for assessing the use and ethics of AI in modern education contexts regarding human versus AI generated textual and multimodal content, and the broader political, social, and cultural implications. We conclude with applied examples of the framework and implications for future research and practice.