This is a text-only version of an article first published on Friday, 8 December 2017. Information shown on this page may no longer be current.
INVESTMENT in education around Artificial Intelligence is essential for future generations, the Bishop of Oxford told the House of Lords today. "My grandsons will grow up in a different world.
They will probably never drive or own cars.
They will interact with screens and machines from an early age.
They will need to know how to set boundaries around their online lives," said Bishop Steven, speaking in a Lords debate.
The debate was entitled The Importance of Education in Developing a Flourishing Society. "Computing education across the UK, we read, is patchy and fragile. It's future development and sustainability depend on swift and co-ordinated action by governments, industry and non-profit organisations," said Bishop Steven, a member of the Lords Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence.
"A majority of teachers are teaching an unfamiliar subject without adequate support. Teacher training and recruitment are uneven and behind their targets. "The new industrial strategy identifies four grand challenges of which the first is to put the UK at the forefront of the artificial intelligence and data revolution. Education and skills are vital in meeting this goal," said Bishop Steven, who called for digital education to be set in the context of ethics and values. "The scope of PHSE and SMSC work must include the digital challenges children and young people are facing: how to set boundaries; to preserve your identity; to recognise signs of addiction; to behave with wisdom in a digital world; to build human relationships alongside followers or Facebook friends among many other questions," he added. He concluded by questioning the government's plans for teaching ethics as part of the computer science curriculum and for integrating digital questions into values education in schools.
Bishop Steven also asked whether the government had considered appointing a minister for digital development to offer leadership on the subject across the government. Read the speech in full here.
Bishop Steven speaking in the House of Lords.