Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Education on the safe use of artificial intelligence in schools.

The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology works closely with the Education Secretary on artificial intelligence (AI). We welcomed the Department for Education’s call for evidence and hackathon on AI in education last year, which will support the UK to harness the potential of AI to revolutionise industries such as education. Our £150K joint public attitudes project, between the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology’s Responsible Technology Adoption Unit and the Department for Education, is being run with active sponsorship from Department for Education Minister, Baroness Barran, and is mid-way through delivery.

The Government is taking a proactive approach to ensuring that the education sector can capitalise on the benefits and mitigate risks of AI, publishing the first Call for Evidence on Artificial Intelligence in Education in November 2023.

We are also supporting young people to develop their understanding of technology and being safe online. This includes DSIT’s Cyber Explorers programme for 11-14 year olds which educates students on how to be secure online alongside promoting the career opportunities offered by cyber and tech more broadly. Over 60,000 students are registered across nearly 2,500 schools.

The Government’s AI Regulation White Paper set out the first steps towards establishing a regulatory framework for AI, including working with UK regulators on how they might need to regulate the technology given its cross-cutting nature and impact on various sectors, including education.