How China Is Using Artificial Intelligence in Classrooms | WSJ

The Wall Street Journal

1 Oct 201905:43

Summary

TLDRThis video script explores China's ambitious integration of AI in education, aiming to lead in global AI advancements. Primary schools utilize technology like headbands that monitor students' concentration levels, sending data to teachers and parents. Classrooms feature robots analyzing health and engagement, and students wear uniforms with tracking chips. Despite concerns over privacy and the effectiveness of these tools, the government invests heavily, seeking to enhance student performance with AI, raising questions about the long-term impact on students and society.

Takeaways

📚 Chinese primary schools are integrating AI technology into classrooms to monitor and improve students' concentration levels.
🧠 Students wear headbands that measure brainwave activity, which is used to assess their level of focus and attention in class.
💻 The data collected from the headbands is sent in real time to teachers' computers and also shared with parents through a chat group.
🏢 China aims to be a global leader in artificial intelligence and is investing heavily in AI education, involving tech giants, startups, and schools.
🤖 Classrooms are equipped with robots that analyze students' health and engagement levels, and students wear uniforms with tracking chips.
👀 Surveillance cameras in classrooms monitor students' behaviors, such as checking phones or yawning, contributing to a high-tech educational environment.
🚀 Despite concerns from netizens, schools report that they have obtained parental consent for these AI integrations without much difficulty.
🧐 The effectiveness and accuracy of the headband technology in measuring concentration are questioned, with experts noting potential for false readings.
📈 Teachers claim that the use of AI monitoring has led to improved discipline and higher academic performance among students.
😴 Some students express the added pressure of being monitored, with attention scores influencing parental reactions.
🔒 There are concerns about privacy and data protection, with the potential for data to be used in government-funded research without clear consent or awareness.

Q & A

What technology is being used in Chinese primary schools to measure students' concentration levels?
-Headbands with sensors that measure brain waves using electroencephalography (EEG) are being used to assess students' concentration levels in Chinese primary schools.
How does the information from the headbands get communicated to teachers and parents?
-The information from the headbands is sent in real-time to the teacher's computer and is also sent to a chat group for parents, providing detailed reports on each student's concentration level.
What is China's goal regarding artificial intelligence in the context of the script?
-China aims to become a global leader in artificial intelligence, with plans to integrate AI into various aspects of society, including education and surveillance.
How do the classrooms in the script utilize AI technology for student engagement and health monitoring?
-Classrooms use robots to analyze students' health and engagement levels, and students wear uniforms with chips that track their locations, as well as surveillance cameras that monitor phone usage and yawning during classes.
What concerns have been raised by the use of these AI gadgets in schools?
-Concerns include the potential for false readings due to the susceptibility of EEG to artifacts, the added pressure on students due to attention scores, and the lack of clarity on data privacy and its potential use in government-funded research.
What is the role of the brain wave sensing gadget in the classroom as described in the script?
-The brain wave sensing gadget, with three electrodes, picks up electrical signals from neurons in the brain, allowing teachers to monitor which students are paying attention in real-time while solving math problems.
How does the script describe the impact of these AI tools on students' discipline and academic performance?
-Teachers in the script report that the use of AI tools has led to improved student discipline and attention during class, which in turn has resulted in harder studying and higher scores.
What is the opinion of Theodore Zanto, the neural scientist, on the use of EEG in classrooms?
-Theodore Zanto expresses surprise and concern about the use of EEG in classrooms, noting that it is usually used by doctors in hospitals and labs, and is susceptible to artifacts that can affect the signal.
How are parents involved in the AI education system as depicted in the script?
-Parents are involved through receiving detailed reports on their child's concentration levels at regular intervals, which are shared in a chat group, although some parents seem unclear or indifferent about the ultimate use of the data.
What is the potential long-term impact of these AI tools on students as they grow into adulthood, according to the script?
-The script suggests that the long-term impact of these AI tools on students will not be apparent until they become adult citizens, indicating that the full consequences of this high-tech educational experiment are yet to be seen.
What role do tech giants, start-ups, and schools play in the government-funded AI education project mentioned in the script?
-Tech giants, start-ups, and schools are brought together in a government-funded project that has poured billions of dollars into integrating AI technology into education, with the goal of boosting student grades and feeding powerful algorithms.

Outlines

00:00

🧠 AI in Education: Monitoring Concentration with Headbands

This paragraph discusses the integration of AI technology in a Chinese primary school to monitor students' concentration levels. Teachers receive real-time data from headbands worn by students, which measure their focus and send the information to both the teacher's computer and parents. The script outlines China's ambition to lead in AI, with a cashless economy and extensive surveillance network. The school's use of AI includes robots analyzing health and engagement, uniforms with tracking chips, and cameras observing student behavior. Despite concerns from netizens, schools claim to have obtained parental consent for these AI experiments, which are aimed at improving grades and feeding algorithms. The government's investment in this project is significant, involving tech giants, startups, and schools.

05:02

🔍 Concerns Over Privacy and Effectiveness of AI in Classrooms

The second paragraph raises concerns about the privacy and effectiveness of AI in educational settings. It mentions that the classroom is being used as a laboratory for future generations, with the potential to help millions of students improve their grades. However, the long-term effects of this AI-driven education will only be understood when these students become adults. Theodore Zanto, a neural scientist, expresses concern about the lack of privacy protection and the challenges of accurately assessing individual students in such an environment. The use of EEG technology in classrooms is highlighted as unusual, given its susceptibility to artifacts and the need for proper setup to avoid false readings. The paragraph concludes with the observation that while these tools may help, the implications of their use in education are still uncertain.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Concentration

Concentration refers to the ability to focus one's attention on a particular task or subject. In the context of the video, it is measured by headbands worn by students to track their attentiveness during class. The script mentions that the headbands send data to the teacher's computer and parents, indicating the level of concentration each student maintains, which is central to the theme of technological monitoring in education.

💡Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence is the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, especially computer systems. The video discusses China's ambition to become a global leader in AI, which is evident in the use of AI in classrooms to monitor and analyze students' behaviors and health. AI is also mentioned in the context of a cashless economy and surveillance systems, highlighting its broad application in society.

💡Facial Recognition

Facial recognition is a technology that automatically identifies or verifies a person from a digital image or a video frame. The script describes its use in a surveillance network that helps the police monitor citizens, as well as in a cashless economy where purchases are made using facial features, illustrating the integration of AI into daily life and security measures.

💡Surveillance Cameras

Surveillance cameras are devices used to monitor an area for security purposes. The video script mentions a network of surveillance cameras equipped with facial recognition to monitor citizens, as well as in classrooms to track student behavior, such as phone usage or yawning, emphasizing the extent of surveillance in both public and educational settings.

💡EEG (Electroencephalography)

EEG is a neuroimaging technique that measures and records the electrical activity of the brain. In the video, it is mentioned that students wear headbands that use EEG technology to pick up electrical signals from the brain, which are then sent to the teacher's computer. This technology is usually found in medical settings, but its application in classrooms raises questions about its accuracy and the ethical implications of its use.

💡Neural Data

Neural data refers to the information collected from the nervous system, particularly the brain. The script describes how sensors in the headbands pick up neural data in real-time, which is then analyzed to determine the students' levels of concentration. This data is a key component of the AI systems used to monitor and assess student engagement.

💡Parental Consent

Parental consent is the permission given by parents or guardians for their children to participate in certain activities or programs. The video mentions that schools did not have difficulty obtaining parental consent for the AI education program, indicating the acceptance of such technology by some parents, despite the potential privacy and ethical concerns.

💡Data Privacy

Data privacy concerns the right of individuals to have control over their personally identifiable information. The script raises concerns about the potential lack of privacy protection for students, as the data collected by the AI systems may be used for government-funded research without clear consent or understanding from parents.

💡Educational Technology

Educational technology refers to the use of tools and systems that facilitate learning. The video showcases various gadgets and technologies, such as robots analyzing students' health and engagement levels, and uniforms with tracking chips, which are part of the high-tech education experiment in China.

💡Discipline

Discipline in an educational context refers to the practice of training students to follow rules and maintain order. Teachers in the video claim that the use of AI technology has led to increased discipline among students, as they are more attentive and study harder, which is presented as a positive outcome of the technology's implementation.

💡Student Pressure

Student pressure refers to the stress or strain experienced by students, often due to academic demands or expectations. The script mentions that the data collected on attention levels adds a new kind of pressure for students, as it can lead to parental punishment for low scores, highlighting the potential negative psychological impact of such monitoring systems.

Highlights

Chinese primary school uses headbands to measure students' concentration levels, with data sent to teachers and parents.

China aims to become a global leader in artificial intelligence, with a cashless economy and extensive surveillance network.

Schools in China integrate AI technology, such as robots analyzing students' health and engagement, and surveillance cameras monitoring phone usage and yawning.

Students wear uniforms with tracking chips and use brain wave sensing devices to measure concentration in real-time.

The use of AI in education has raised privacy and ethical concerns among Chinese netizens.

The Chinese government has invested billions into AI education projects, partnering with tech giants, startups, and schools.

A primary school outside Shanghai demonstrates the use of AI technology in classrooms, including brain wave sensing gadgets for meditation.

The brain wave sensing device uses EEG technology, typically used in hospitals, to pick up electrical signals from the brain.

Despite concerns about the accuracy and research behind EEG headbands, teachers claim they have improved student discipline and grades.

Some students feel additional pressure due to attention scores and parental punishment based on the data.

Companies and parents are unclear about the privacy protection and final destination of the collected data.

Neural scientist Theodore Zanto expresses surprise at the use of EEG in classrooms and highlights its susceptibility to artifacts.

Experts and citizens are concerned about the long-term implications of AI integration in education on future generations.

The effectiveness and ethical considerations of AI in education will only become apparent as the current students grow into adulthood.