Antoaneta Angelova-Krasteva, Director at the European Commission's Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC), has highlighted the significant role of 'ethical and non-discriminatory' AI in advancing digital education.

At the annual Digital Education Hackathon (DigiEduHack) event, she emphasised AI's potential for personalised learning experiences. The 2023 edition marks the third iteration of the initiative, aligning with the objectives outlined in the Commission's Digital Education Action Plan (2021-2027). This strategic plan recognises the indispensability of digital literacy and skills in building a society that is fully adapted to the digital era.

To facilitate this awareness, she highlighted the Commission's publication of Ethical guidelines on the use of AI, describing it as a crucial stride in supporting teachers in navigating the complexities of these technologies

In the Commission's 2030 Digital Decade targets, Antoaneta Angelova-Krasteva highlighted the aim of 80% of Europeans possessing basic digital skills and reaching 20 million ICT specialists. However, Angelova-Krasteva expressed concerns that the EU is unlikely to meet these targets by 2030 since by 2023, only 54% of Europeans will have achieved basic digital skills.

To address this, she emphasised the importance of European funding, notably through initiatives like Erasmus+, which has a substantial budget of E28 billion for 2021-2027. This funding is strategically directed towards digital education, aligning with the community's significant interest in advancing digital literacy.

Why does it matter?

The European Commission's push for ethical AI in digital education signals a transformative step in leveraging technology for learning. Published ethical guidelines within teaching further stress the importance of incorporating ethical and inclusive AI practices in education for responsible and equitable technology use.