Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North-Central, Fianna Fail)
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164. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps her Department is taking to combat the use of AI in assessments; the concerns her Department has; the steps she is taking to reduce its prevalence; if she will engage with stakeholders to insure the integrity of assessment practices can be protected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38582/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I assume the Deputy is referring to the possible use of generative artificial intelligence, Gen AI, in the context of assessment for State certification purposes.

Artificial intelligence continues to be a dynamic space that presents us with both challenges and opportunities. Since the 2023 examinations, the State Examinations Commission (SEC) has updated its general and subject specific documentation to include an instruction in relation to material generated by AI software. The instruction makes clear that any material generated by AI software will be treated in the same way as any other material that the candidate has not generated themselves. Including it without quoting it as the work of AI software will be considered plagiarism, which can result in the forfeit of all marks for the coursework component. Where any material generated by AI software is included in a coursework submission and is properly quoted or referenced, no credit will be awarded for any of that material itself. Credit can only be awarded for the effective use of this material in the support or development of the candidate’s own work. This is the established practice that already applies to the inclusion of quoted material, (whether that be text, images, or other forms of material,) created by human authors. With respect to the new and revised Leaving Certificate subjects being introduced from September, guidelines from the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) to support the completion of Additional Assessment Components were published in December 2024. The inclusion in the Guidelines of a requirement for any material generated by AI software to be appropriately referenced is in line with the approach taken by the SEC in other subjects currently. My Department has also committed to establishing a task force, including stakeholders, to examine the appropriate use of AI in teaching, learning and assessment relevant to Senior Cycle Redevelopment. More generally, my Department, with the support of Oide Technology in Education (TiE) is currently finalising guidance on the use of AI in teaching and learning. This will support teachers to mediate the use of AI in teaching and learning. It will provide information on the opportunities and risks associated with AI and highlight what should be taken into consideration in using AI in a safe, responsible and ethical manner. The guidance being drafted focuses on AI in teaching and learning and is additional to the guidelines published by the State Examinations Commission regarding AI and state certification The Department is also examining what other Member States are doing in this space. There is a general consensus that it is important that children and young people are equipped with relevant and appropriate knowledge on AI, and our education system is key to building foundational digital literacy in this area. Ongoing research, EU and national regulatory changes, and insights from Coimisiún na Meán and the AI Advisory Council will continue to guide the Department's efforts to assist schools and teachers in navigating the challenges and opportunities AI can bring to education. Extensive information and support for school leaders and teachers on AI in education can be found on the Oide TiE website at their dedicated AI hub.