HARDWARE

.: Apple teased AI improvements, including the M4’s neural engine, at its iPad event​

Summary ➜ Apple highlighted AI features, including the M4 neural engine, at its recent iPad event. The company showcased AI-powered tools like visual lookup and live text capture on the new iPad Air and Pro models. Apple hinted at future AI advancements for developers in iPadOS.

Why this matters for education ➜ Apple are yet to reveal their hand regarding AI strategy, and by all accounts we will hear more in their developer event in June. When you consider these device upgrades, chip improvement and the challenge of devices dedicated to AI – perhaps mobile phones and tablet technology will see a new wave of development from AI.

Using AI tools on-device, instead of via cloud based services, is likely to offer performance benefits, greater flexibility, as well as, improved standards in privacy and safety which is a key component for education implementation.

At the very least, I think we will see more personal control and new data privacy standards, which the AI ecosystem will have to engage with.

.: Other News In Brief

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📸 OpenAI working on new AI image detection tools

🕵️‍♂️ Microsoft launches AI chatbot for spies

🔍 OpenAI to steer content authentication group C2PA

📚 Audible deploys AI-narrated audiobooks

🐋 Sperm whale ‘alphabet’ discovered, thanks to machine learning

🛡️ How VISA is using generative AI to battle account fraud attacks

🤖 Apple poaches AI experts from Google, creates secretive European AI lab

📲 Siri for iOS 18 to gain massive AI upgrade via Apple’s Ajax LLM

📱 Anthropic finally releases a Claude mobile app

💬 Google adds AI conversation practice for English language learners

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What’s on my mind?

.: US-Centric Bias and its Impact

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My recent collaboration with teachers from across Scandinavia – Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland – reminded me of a critical concern within the growing use of AI in education. The issue? The potential for bias and cultural insensitivity within AI tools, particularly language models (LLMs).

Many leading AI companies and the datasets used to train their AI systems are rooted in the United States. This US-centric origin can create limitations – the AI may lack a nuanced understanding of cultural differences, leading to biases in its output. It highlights the need for a broader, more inclusive approach to AI development.

This issue reminds me of the “mirrors, windows, and doors” model often used in education. This concept emphasises the importance of the following for students:

• Mirrors: Seeing themselves reflected in the learning materials.
• Windows: Offering insights into different perspectives and cultures.
• Doors: Opening up opportunities for engagement with the world on a larger scale.

In the same way, the AI tools used in our classrooms should also embrace these principles.

A recent example of this bias can be seen in image generation tools. Meta AI, a widely used platform, came under fire for consistently depicting Indian men in turbans. (See above for the story)

While turbans are a significant part of Indian culture, their overwhelming presence in the AI’s output ignores the vast diversity of clothing and ethnicities within India. This highlights the need for AI developers to incorporate more geographically and culturally diverse datasets during training.

Educators have a vital role in driving change. We need to champion the development of more inclusive, culturally sensitive AI.

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~ Tom

Prompts

.: Refine your promptcraft

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During my current visit to Sweden, where I am working with teachers, I have found it fascinating to learn about the various ways they have been incorporating AI tools into their work.

One particular example that seems to strike a chord with educators across different countries is the use of AI tools to refine, adapt, and improve email communication with parents.

Although I never personally experienced the need to email parents during my teaching career, many teachers I collaborate with have expressed the pressure and anxiety they feel when communicating via email.

They often worry about striking the right tone, being clear and concise, and maintaining a professional yet approachable demeanour.

A helpful promptcraft technique to address this challenge is to develop a short style guide based on your own written content.

By analysing your previous emails and identifying the key elements of your communication style, you can create a set of guidelines that reflect your unique voice and approach.

Then, when crafting prompts for AI tools, you can incorporate these style guidelines to ensure that the generated content aligns with your personal communication style.

To give you an example, here’s a glimpse into my email writing style:

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To create your own writing style guide just use a prompt similar to the example below:

By providing the AI tool with this style guide as part of the prompt, you can maintain consistency in your communication and reduce the time and effort required to compose emails.

:. .:

Remember to mak​e this your own, try different language models and evaluate the completions.

Learning

.: Boost your AI Literacy

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GLOSSARY

.: The A-Z of AI: 30 terms you need to understand artificial intelligence​

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HIGHER-ED ​
​.: University Students Concerned About AI Skills​

University-bound students are worried about how AI usage by others may affect their academic and career opportunities. A study of 1,300 students shows that many see AI as both helpful and concerning, with concerns about ethics and competitive disadvantages.

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FACES ​
​.: Can you spot which of these faces is generated by AI? Probably not — here’s why​

Experts say it’s becoming harder to tell AI-generated faces from real ones. People often mistake AI faces as real due to advancements in technology. Media literacy and awareness are crucial to navigate this new landscape.

Ethics

.: Provocations for Balance
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Scenario 1: The “All-American” Student

A school adopts an AI-powered “virtual tutor” advertised to provide personalised learning paths. Soon, students from immigrant families and international students report getting recommendations heavily biased towards Western history, US-centric examples, and subtly promoting American cultural norms and ideals over their native ones.

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Scenario 2: The “Perfect” Uni Application

A new AI tool goes viral, promising to “optimise” university essays, suggesting not just edits but rewriting sentences to appeal to what it claims are admissions officers’ preferences. Counselors find that AI-driven revisions favour stories of overcoming hardship that conform to American narratives of “grit,” potentially erasing nuanced experiences of marginalised students.

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Scenario 3: When Translation Goes Wrong

To better communicate with parents, a school adopts an AI-powered translation tool for emails and newsletters. Immigrant parents soon complain that translations are not just inaccurate, but convey disrespect or perpetuate stereotypes about their cultures. Turns out, the AI model wasn’t trained with nuanced understanding of cultural idioms.

Inspired by some of the topics this week and dialled up.

How would you rate this issue of Promptcraft?

(Click on your choice below)
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​⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Loved it!
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​⭐️⭐️⭐️ Good
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​⭐️ Poor​

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If you have any other kind, specific and helpful feedback, please reply to this email or contact me at tom@dialogiclearning.com​

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.: Tom Barrett