Lisa Chesters (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

On behalf of the Standing Committee on Employment, Education and Training, I present the committee's report entitled Study buddy or influencer: inquiry into the use of generative artificial intelligence in the Australian education system, together with the minutes of the proceedings.

Report made a parliamentary paper in accordance with standing order 39(e).

by leave—On behalf of the Standing Committee on Employment, Education and Training, I am pleased to present our unanimous report Study buddy or influencer: inquiry into the use of generative artificial intelligence in the Australian education system. GenAI has started to impact the Australian education system as well as the future of work in our country. It is not something that 'might' be used; genAI is already being used in different degrees across our education system.

It is the committee's view that the uptake of genAI in the education sector should be a national priority for various reasons. When genAI, as an education tool, is used appropriately, it can provide equitable access to students, educators and teachers alike. The committee has recommended that genAI be used as an education tool and integrated into Australia's national curriculum. Where these tools can act as a study buddy for all students and used in terms of appropriate content, it is critical for the integration of genAI technology in schools. These tools need to be fit for purpose, relative to the Australian context, sensitive to gender and cultural considerations and trained on data that is based upon our national curriculum. This is why the committee has recommended this. It needs to be based on our national curriculum.

The committee's report identifies these exciting opportunities for the adoption of genAI in education. We identify that genAI can help drive better educational outcomes for some of Australia's most vulnerable students. Indeed, students from low socioeconomic areas, students from non-English-speaking backgrounds, students with disabilities or who have learning difficulties, students from regional and remote areas who may struggle to have access to subjects otherwise and First Nations students all stand to benefit most from the rollout of this technology, if done appropriately.

Whilst I've highlighted the important opportunities presented by genAI, the committee is mindful of the risks with this new technology. The committee heard evidence on the risk presented by genAI and has considered how the education system can enact sufficient guardrails and safeguards to protect users, especially minors.

I would also like to remark on the technology related reforms already implemented in the education sector by the government and say that they will help protect the safety and wellbeing of our Australian children, but we must go further. I'd like to draw particular attention to the reforms being undertaken by the eSafety Commissioner to protect children from deepfakes and cyberbullying, all of which can be exacerbated through the use of genAI.

The committee also heard about additional risks in relation to the technology itself. Of particular importance is the need to protect users', especially children's, data to ensure that educational providers do not select genAI products or tools that store students' data offshore or sell that to third parties. This is an area that needs critical attention.

The integration of genAI will affect not only schools but also tertiary education, the Australian education workforce and the future of work. GenAI has broad implications for the design and implementation of assessments and academic and research integrity. The higher education sector is struggling to address the misuse of AI in assessments—another area which is critical and where urgent attention is required. It is therefore imperative that students are adequately trained to use genAI technology appropriately and ethically, particularly when it comes to its integration into classrooms as well into assessments.

The committee has made 25 recommendations in this report. These recommendations focus on how schools can maximise the opportunity of education-specific genAI tools, promote quality edtech products, support the implementation of the Department of Education's Australian Framework for Generative AI in Schools, integrate AI literacy into the next school curriculum review when it occurs and develop strong safeguards, standards and frameworks for the use of genAI in our education system.

It's important to state that these recommendations are fit to regulate the application of AI in the education sector today. However, we acknowledge that as AI technology is developing and evolving, the committee may need to review these recommendations at a later date.

During the inquiry the committee visited two schools that use genAI differently. I'd like to take a moment to thank Pymble Ladies College, an independent school, and the Grange P-12 College, a public school, for sharing their experiences with the committee. The committee also heard that the Grange College will likely be reliant upon guidance from the Department of Education and government grants for funding to roll out technology in its school, whilst the committee heard that Pymble Ladies College has already successfully integrated genAI into its curriculum and is well positioned to share its expertise with other schools. It demonstrates, again, the digital divide that we have within our schools. GenAI presents an opportunity for all governments to work together to address that divide.

These findings and recommendations contained in the report were informed by over 100 submissions and 15 public hearings, including three interstate public hearings in Victoria and New South Wales. I'd like to thank my committee colleagues for their work on this inquiry, evident in the fact that this is a unanimous report. I'd also like to extend my thanks to our expert panel and the committee secretariat for the work that they've done on this report. I would like to thank the individuals and organisations that made submissions and participated in public hearings, especially the students who shared their experience.

In conclusion, genAI presents an exciting opportunity yet high-stakes risks for the Australian education system. If managed correctly, genAI in the Australian education system can be a valuable study buddy and not an influencer. I commend the report to the House.

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