Medford Schools Advance Responsible AI Policy as Notre Dame Explores AI Ethics
Medford schools approved a first reading of a generative AI policy aimed at responsible classroom use, while Notre Dame hosted a conference addressing AI ethics and societal impact.
- • Medford School Committee approved first reading of generative AI use policy emphasizing responsible and ethical use.
- • Policy requires only vetted AI tools to protect data privacy and stresses critical thinking to address AI-generated bias.
- • Notre Dame's R.I.S.E. AI Conference focused on ethical AI use, societal impact, and the importance of diverse collaboration.
- • Speakers stressed AI's moral accountability, regulation challenges, and education for public awareness.
Key details
The Medford School Committee has taken a significant step toward integrating artificial intelligence in education by approving the first reading of a new policy designed to guide teachers and students in the responsible use of generative AI. Set to be included in school handbooks pending a second reading, the policy mandates that only vetted AI tools, aligned with privacy laws, will be used in classrooms and emphasizes critical thinking and bias checking in AI-generated content. A survey conducted among residents revealed strong support for teaching AI as an integral part of education. Committee member Erika Reinfeld highlighted the importance of trusting educators to make ethical decisions about AI's classroom role, despite concerns about plagiarism and ethical implications particularly in creative subjects. Concurrently, the University of Notre Dame hosted the inaugural R.I.S.E. AI Conference focusing on ethical AI deployment, featuring speakers like Rev. Paolo Benanti and Carnegie Mellon's Aarti Singh. Discussions underscored AI's societal impact over the technology itself, the moral accountability of AI, and the necessity for inclusive, interdisciplinary collaboration in development. Both events reflect a growing emphasis on ensuring AI is employed ethically and responsibly, notably in educational contexts and broader societal frameworks. Continuing dialogue with stakeholders is planned in Medford to refine the school policy, while Notre Dame’s conference highlighted the challenges of regulating rapid AI growth and the need for public education on AI ethics.