Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator. I am giving this response on behalf of the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Harris, but there are some comments that will also be relevant to the Department of Education and I can certainly raise this issue with it today.

In recent months, there has been a significant focus on the threat AI may pose to academic integrity. ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence chatbot launched in November 2022 and is currently one of the most well-known large language models in the public domain. As the Senator mentioned, there are others. These models can produce original pieces of text that may not be recognised by plagiarism detection tools and this creates the potential to facilitate undetectable academic cheating. The challenge for educators and learners is to discover how artificial intelligence can be used in ways that optimise teaching and learning opportunities, create space for innovative thinking and promote the potential for high-level achievement on the part of learners. If action is not taken, these potentially useful algorithms could be used to circumnavigate the education and qualifications system and lead to the awarding of qualifications to students who have not earned them.

QQI is the State agency under the remit of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science that is responsible for promoting the quality, integrity and reputation of Ireland’s further and higher education and training system. I understand QQI has been following recent developments in artificial intelligence tools, including ChatGPT, and how these tools are being used within the education and training system, both in Ireland and abroad. In February, QQI issued a guidance note on artificial intelligence to a wide range of education stakeholders, and a number of education and training providers have now initiated reviews of their policies on assessment and academic integrity. In March, QQI hosted an artificial intelligence webinar week that featured a range of topics and perspectives from international and national experts on the opportunities and challenges posed by artificial intelligence in higher education. As artificial intelligence can be used as an educational tool, students will need to understand how to use AI technology legitimately. It is important education providers clearly communicate to their students the circumstances under which use of artificial intelligence tools will be considered a threat to academic integrity. Students outsourcing their work to an AI system is just as problematic as students outsourcing their work to a contract cheating service. Whatever form of cheating is used, be it essay mills, AI or other means, it must be combated and providers must adapt.

In September 2021, my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Harris, launched new national principles and guidelines for academic integrity. QQI is now initiating work, in consultation with education providers, to revise and adapt these guidelines so they can be applicable across the higher and further education and training sectors and can be placed on a statutory footing. QQI is continuing to engage with higher education institutions to develop an academic integrity policy. It has also been engaging with learner representatives through the Union of Students in Ireland, USI, to discuss academic integrity matters and to hear feedback on how QQI and institutions can support students and learners to avoid academic misconduct. Furthermore, QQI has been working with publishing and advertising platforms to monitor, report and remove advertisements for academic cheating services. This is to make these services harder to find and therefore less accessible to students.

The Senator spoke of having a public debate, which is a good idea and something he could progress. This issue is obviously of importance and it is difficult for society or education to keep pace with technological advances.I am glad Quality and Qualifications Ireland, QQI, is taking a very proactive approach in this area, but AI will transform virtually every aspect of our life and work and various forms of automation will transform a wide range of professions. The Government needs to lead the public debate on this within the education space and broader society and, indeed, in many cases to be positive. The idea of a select committee within these Houses on artificial intelligence, emerging technologies and their potential impact could be welcome. We should look at training in the Houses of the Oireachtas on how AI will influence all of our work, because I can certainly envisage, at some stage in the future, my avatar posing a Commencement matter to a ministerial avatar and seeing an AI-enabled answer being delivered in response. Maybe it is happening already. This is transformative. The EU's AI Act will be its most important legislation this decade. However, we need to have an education and training system that adapts and is ready for the changes.